The Heart of a Turnabout
by BabyChocoboAlchemist
Summary: Post Dual Destinies. *Will be rewritten in 2017, inspired by PiercetheVeils' and ajani's apprentice's 'Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth: End of an Era!*
1. An Attorney's View of the Edge

_My name's Apollo Justice, and I don't think I'll ever be fine again._

 _Just when the sunlight thought it would attempt to creep in, it's been shut out again. I haven't been able to see it, feel it, or believe in it since the stars fell from the sky, but now I can't even hope to find it ever again. At first I thought the world shut me out, but every time I catch my reflection, the truth hits me like the Judge's hammer. I've shut myself away from it, and now there's no hope of the lock ever coming off._

 _You probably don't know too much about me. I'm the guy Phoenix Wright picked up off the street. The two-bit attorney that almost had the new girl thrown in prison, for a crime she didn't commit. What crime was that, I hear you asking? Well, you'll be thrilled to know that I accused her of killing the better half of me. My best friend. My brother. The only person responsible for getting me out of bed every morning. You know, the reason I'm here now. No one special._

 _Now I'm the attorney defending the center of his universe. A friend of mine that means more to me than the damn air running through my body. Someone that's been slipping deeper and deeper into their own darkness. I've been as blind as the Judge so you know I've haven't been doing that great of a job with pulling him from the muck._

 _Now he's lost. And he needs someone to bring him back home._

 _It all happened so fast. One second, Trucy invited Prosecutor Gavin to lunch, the next she had me on the phone, crying. I remember it like it was just a second ago. She was crying, reaching out to me, telling me 'Polly, Klavier's been arrested'. I could barely make out what she was saying, but luckily I held onto enough of my sanity to remain afloat. After all-_

 _I had already failed Clay. He was enough._

 _I ripped myself away from my desk, Trucy's words ringing in my ears louder than Taka's shriek. Traffic was pretty heavy, but before I knew it, I found myself in the detention center. Shouting louder than I had ever shouted before. Making my way through the crowds, calling his name, letting him know I was there. Ready to fight for him._

 _I missed the chance to pull him out of the darkness before, during our trial against his brother, but I wasn't about to pass up another chance to rescue him._

 _Maybe I'll take you back to where it all began. Not too far back-just far enough to where you'll be able to join me at the edge of the universe._


	2. Edge

_It all happened so fast. One second, Trucy invited Prosecutor Gavin to lunch, the next she had me on the phone, crying. I remember it like it was just a second ago. She was crying, reaching out to me, telling me 'Polly, Klavier's been arrested'. I could barely make out what she was saying, but luckily I held onto enough of my sanity to remain afloat. After all-_

 _I had already failed Clay. He was enough._

 _I ripped myself away from my desk, Trucy's words ringing in my ears louder than Taka's shriek. Traffic was pretty heavy, but before I knew it, I found myself in the detention center. Shouting louder than I had ever shouted before. Making my way through the crowds, calling his name, letting him know I was there. Ready to fight for him._

 _I missed the chance to pull him out of the darkness before, during our trial against his brother, but I wasn't about to pass up another chance to rescue him._

 _Maybe I'll take you back to where it all began. Not too far back-just far enough to where you'll be able to join me at the edge of the universe._

* * *

Post Dual Destinies. Set during the Ace Attorney 6 timeline. Apollo, while still mourning Clay's death, takes on the greatest turnabout of his career! A peaceful morning is shattered with yet another fateful phone call. Phoenix Wright and Athena Cykes are rushing to Maya Fey's aid, so Apollo and Trucy are left to defend the agency themselves! But with Apollo's greatest challenge right around the corner, will they be able to?

Written to 'Hurry' from Final Fantasy X.

* * *

It all came crashing down again, the universe, the sun and moon. The stars had already fallen out of the sky, but Apollo Justice, sitting at his desk that very morning, felt as though the rest of existence were caving in on him. Forcing him into a closet from which there was no escape, other than death. Breathing was an exercise that tore apart the fibers of time and space, coming from his chest in rapid spurts while sweat pooled. His heart felt ready to tear itself out of his chest, in the hopes of fleeing the demons living inside of him.

One moment, the world was at peace. Nothing was being disturbed, topped off with a beautifully blue sky and the song of particularly giddy birds, bouncing from tree to tree. There he was, inside the Wright Anything Agency, sitting at his work station with a case in hand. It had been a while since he, Apollo, had been a part of the living, but lately he was taking pretty good swings at getting back into the game. He originally had his heart set on withering away inside his bedroom, not at all wanting to endure another day without the stars in the sky, and still unable to look at a certain co-worker's face, but then came Trucy. After Trucy came her father. And then there was Athena, otherwise known as the Agency's Whirlwind. Once she visited him and treated him to her warm, caring bedside manner (i.e. literally throwing him out of bed), he knew original intentions had to be swept off the table with a confident hand. So back into the ring Apollo Justice went, case files at the ready.

But then the call happened again.

It was just like before, the phone ringing, time stopping but moving much too fast, the ground beneath his feet spinning. Feeling like he'd fall off the edge of the universe, with even the smallest step in the wrong direction. It happened all over again, phone sitting at his side, ringing with the Guilty Love ringtone. Trucy's words were like an execution sentence, being slammed into him with every sob she made.

 _"Polly, Klavier's been arrested!"_

When it happened the first time, he was frozen. Trapped in a vortex that moved recklessly, mercilessly, laughing all the while. That time, though, he knew he had to keep moving. Knew that no matter how much his body screaming, no matter how much his mind didn't want to accept any of it, he had to keep moving. With that in mind, the young attorney ripped himself out of the Agency and into morning traffic.

Klavier. First Clay, then Klavier. Cars and trucks were a blur to someone that had suddenly become a biking pro. Klavier. Smiling, warm, gentle, singing, golden Klavier. Arrested. It just didn't make any sense.

Then again, the first call didn't make any sense either.

For some alien reason, someone had doomed Apollo to live in the Twilight Zone. Nothing about his life, right from the very beginning, made any sense. Who in the hell had Klavier arrested? On what charges? 'This better be for a speeding ticket', the attorney thought through gritted teeth, maneuvering through the congested streets with a professional biker's prowess. Polly could have gone pro that morning, but the fabric of his universe had been turned inside out. So becoming a biker was the last thing on the attorney's mind.

Nick was unavailable for reinforcement duty. He was away at Kurain Village, rushing to a certain Spirit Medium's aid alongside Athena. Mr Wright got a pretty fun call himself not too long ago, and threw himself out of the Agency just as quickly as Apollo had.

Phones. What a joy they were.

Apollo and Trucy had been left to defend the agency. Just in the nick of time too, because right after Phoenix Wright and Athena Cykes took off for Kurain Village, Prosecutor Klavier Gavin ends up arrested. Chalk up another bullet point on the list of reasons why life never made any sense.

It was shocking to not see the young attorney literally tear the streets apart. Moving fast enough to set them on fire, Apollo sped towards the Detention Center, heart racing even faster than his wheels. In what must've been mere minutes, he threw himself off his bike and bolted towards the center, searching for either his sister or the prosecutor.

Fire welled inside his chest. Crowds, so many damn crowds, all of them with cameras, microphones…! It was true, then. It must've been true! Klavier, someone that never should even have to THINK about looking at the inside of a cell-

"Out of my way, let me through! Let me through!"

Apollo, shouting louder than he had ever shouted before, tore through the crowds just as quickly as he tore through the streets. Heart on fire, body ready to fall apart at the seams, he knew he naturally couldn't withstand the g-force at which life was moving. So it was time to transcend natural boundaries.

Demanding to be let through, over and over again, loud enough for the angels to take notice, Apollo rushed inside the Detention Center. The clicks of cameras and voices burned his ears. A familiar voice rushed to his side immediately, heavy with tears. "Polly, thank you, thank you for coming," the familiar face wept, falling to her knees while tugging on his arm.

"It's horrible, big baby brother! They've got Klavy all locked up, and, and-"

"What happened?" Apollo asked the young magician, lifting her back onto her feet, trying to keep his voice as gentle as possible. Seeing her face streaked with tears drove stakes through his heart. Listening to her cry was no walk in the park either.

Trucy sniffed while wiping at her eyes, but the attempt to rid herself of tears was futile. A million more replaced the ones she wiped away. "Polly, they think Klavier killed someone! They said he was at the crime scene, and-"

Chalk another bullet point onto the list of reasons why life didn't make sense.

Trucy's hand in his, Apollo bolted through the Detention Center, heart pounding in his ears, legs on fire. His eyes darted to and from the cells, searching for a certain face, ignoring the clamor of camera flashes and microphones. Once he found a swelling crowd focused on a certain cell, he tore through that crowd, screaming:

"Out of my way! I'm Apollo Justice of the Wright Anything Agency, and I'm that man's attorney!"

Never having heard Apollo introduce himself as a member of the agency, Trucy couldn't keep herself from sobbing again. Apollo, in the meantime, focused on the cell's lone occupant. A man with his head bowed and entire being trapped in sadness.

It was just like the call from before. Just like racing into the Space Center, only to find-

"Prosecutor Gavin! Hang on, Prosecutor Gavin! I'm getting you out of this, I swear it! I'll die doing it if I have to, but I'm getting you out of there! You have my word! As an attorney and as your friend!"


	3. Stepping into the Dark

"Out of my way! I'm Apollo Justice of the Wright Anything Agency, and I'm that man's attorney!"

Never having heard Apollo introduce himself as a member of the agency, Trucy couldn't keep herself from sobbing again. Apollo, in the meantime, focused on the cell's lone occupant. A man with his head bowed and entire being trapped in sadness.

It was just like the call from before. Just like racing into the Space Center, only to find-

"Prosecutor Gavin! Hang on, Prosecutor Gavin! I'm getting you out of this, I swear it! I'll die doing it if I have to, but I'm getting you out of there! You have my word! As an attorney and as your friend!"

* * *

Post Dual Destinies! Apollo and Trucy have unearthed a horrific truth: Klavier has been arrested on murder charges! With Nick and Athena out of the office, they've got their work cut out for them! What exactly led to Klavier's arrest? How will Apollo handle the case? Will he be able to handle it at all? Find out in this episode of 'The Heart of a Turnabout'!

Chapter introduction inspired by Tyranee's Let Dubs of the Ace Attorney series. Chapter written to Logic Trinity from Dual Destinies OST.

* * *

 _My first thought was of him. Kristoph Gavin. One way or another, he must've been behind it. Must've set the stage up all by himself. With that sick smile on his face, too. But I knew focusing on him wouldn't get me anywhere. The way things were going, I might as well have accused Officer Meekins of framing him._

 _That day was repeating itself, slapping me harder and harder in the face, reminding me of everything I had lost. Reminding me of how useless I was when it came to protecting the people I loved. I was at the edge of the universe yet again, standing there with my sister Trucy. We were alone, without either Mr Wright or the Whirlwind to help us._

 _It was up to us to end this, whatever it was. Up to us to put an end to his nightmare. Once for all._

 _Murder charges. I had heard those two words so many times. If I had a dollar for every murder charge I had to investigate, I'd have enough money to build a hundred agencies of my own. But never did I think I'd hear those words attached to him. Klavier. Out of all the people in this damn universe, Klavier was arrested on murder charges._

 _Klavier. Someone I knew would never hurt a fly was my newest client._

* * *

Apollo tore his mind from the figure in the cell. After swatting all of the reporters away from that particular cell, he gripped Trucy's hand, gathered a few more bullet points on the case from Officer Meekins, and tore out of the Detention Center. Looking back at his client? Well, out of the question.

Looking at back at Klavier would've reduced him to a brain-dead puddle. _'I already let that happen with Clay. I'm not about to let it happen again.'_

Trucy, arm in his, stared at her brother with eyes overflowing. He knew she was already on edge, with her father being out of the office and on another planet, even though she made it a full-time job to keep up a strong front. With Klavier being arrested in The Twilight Zone, things were even harder to bear. Apollo knew there were a few jobs on the table, looking after her being one of them. "Apparently quite a lot went down at the Kit Kat Lounge last night," the attorney said, voice firm as he reviewed newly acquired information. Counting the bullet points of info on his fingers.

"Prosecutor Gavin went there for a guest appearance last night. Fast forward a couple of hours, the lights went out and there stood the crime scene. With no one on the stage, save for our prosecutor and the victim. The victim's body was covered in blood, and seems to have been suffocated with his own guitar."

"How long were the lights out?" Trucy whimpered, sniffing through a hundred tears while looking back at the Detention Center. She and Polly were several yards away from where Klavier was being held, heading towards a certain lounge and leaving behind a heartbroken prosecutor in the process. Voice shrill from panic and sadness, she started wringing her hands.

"If they were only out for a few seconds-"

"They weren't. They were out long enough for someone to apparently strangle the victim with his own guitar. Several points of importance are making it quite easy to have Prosecutor Gavin pinned as the culprit. One: his distance from the victim. He and the second guitar player were in close formation. Two: there apparently was some type of partnership between them, something that went south of the border somewhere down the line."

Trucy could never ignore how incredible her brother was at putting pieces of the puzzle together, even with the sky caving in on them. But hearing a distinct lack of emotion in his voice, coupled with his repeated usage of Prosecutor Gavin instead of Klavier, only made things hurt even more. In the last couple of weeks, Apollo had adopted the habit of calling the prosecutor by name, not by title.

Apollo was in a billion pieces. He was just unwilling to show it. He didn't want to and knew he couldn't afford to.

"The guitar wasn't his, right?" the magician sobbed, rubbing at her eyes even more, heartbroken over what had happened to the victim but not at all wanting to accept Klavier as the guilty party. Apollo, with a tender smile, laid a hand on the young woman's shoulder.

"No. From what I was able to get out of Officer Meekins, the guitar belonged to the victim."

"I don't even understand how this is happening," she sniffed, burying her head in the attorney's chest. Apollo wrapped her into an embrace, head resting against her shoulder, letting her tears melt into his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Polly! I was just on my way to visit him, and, and-"

"Nothing you need to apologize for," he told her, lifting up her hat and ruffling her hair. "And there's nothing to worry about. I'm getting to the bottom of this and you're going to be with me, right? Like any pair of Gramaryes, hitting the ground with spirit and ferocity. Right?"

"Right," she giggled through a fresh swarm of tears, eyes twinkling. Apollo patted her on the back, beaming as though the sun itself were living inside of him.

"That's the spirit. Now let's make our way to the lounge and find out what's going on."

Trucy's eyes lit up in alarm. "Wait. Maybe we should call Daddy and big sis first."

"Good idea. I think they should know the universe has already been turned upside down. It'll be nice to check in on Miss Fey, too. Hopefully at least ONE person's having a nice day."


	4. Logic Trinity

_"I don't even understand how this is happening," she sniffed, burying her head in the attorney's chest. Apollo wrapped her into an embrace, head resting against her shoulder, letting her tears melt into his chest._

 _"I'm so sorry, Polly! I was just on my way to visit him, and, and-"_

 _"Nothing you need to apologize for," he told her, lifting up her hat and ruffling her hair. "And there's nothing to worry about. I'm getting to the bottom of this and you're going to be with me, right? Like any pair of Gramaryes, hitting the ground with spirit and ferocity. Right?"_

 _"Right," she giggled through a fresh swarm of tears, eyes twinkling. Apollo patted her on the back, beaming as though the sun itself were living inside of him._

 _"That's the spirit. Now let's make our way to the lounge and find out what's going on."_

* * *

Last time, on 'The Heart of a Turnabout':

Apollo and Trucy got their first taste of what promises to be the most horrific case they've come across-a case in which Klavier has been accused of murder! Apollo puts up a strong front but how long will he last? What's going on with Phoenix Wright, Athena Cykes and Maya Fey? All that and more, coming up in 'The Heart of a Turnabout'!

 _Author's Notes: Chapter introduction inspired by Tyranee's Let Dubs of the Ace Attorney series. I actually read that in Dan Delarosa's voice while typing it out. I also read all of Nick's dialogue in Dan's voice while writing it. Klavier will have TheDaneRaw's voice, as he plays Klavier in Tyranee's AJ fandub and has been deemed Klavier's canon voice by me._

This chapter was written to Turnabout Sisters variations.

* * *

 _My name's Phoenix Wright, and I'm a father._

 _Usually I start off with 'I'm an attorney', but this case calls for something a little different. Yeah, I'm supposed to be this legendary attorney with another case at hand, and I've got one of the world's greatest attorneys to get me out of any trouble I'll definitely find myself in. I've been an attorney for quite some time now, and even though I still don't know what I'm doing, I still make it my purpose to defend the innocent. Give a voice to those that can't speak._

 _So yeah, I'm an attorney. But above all else, I'm a father._

 _Trucy and Athena have recovered beautifully from our last trials together. Like any calm and composed parent I pulled my hair out worrying about them, hoping none of them were too badly scarred by our encounters with the Phantom. Truth be told, all three of my kids were hit pretty badly by how things went down, Apollo being hit the hardest. Trucy and Athena agree on that. My two little girls came out of the storm all right, both still being able to smile, but Apollo-_

 _I'm afraid I've still got a lot of work to do, if I ever hope to pull Apollo out of the darkness._

 _He smiles, Chief, but he's still badly wounded from the cases. The trials he went through alone. I still see him smile but I feel as if he's a billion miles away from us. He answers whenever we call his name, but he isn't there. He's still missing, our Apollo, wounds still fresh from losing someone that meant so much to him. Wounds still fresh from everything he went through with Athena. Athena's forgiven him a million times now, even made him run fifty laps one morning. I remember it well-she was so sick of Apollo shouldering the blame for everything, she literally dragged him out of the office shouting: 'all right, hop to it, mister! We're running those laps and there's no stopping unless you fall out on the track dead! Do you read me?!'_

 _A few hours down the road, she pretty much threw Apollo back into the office, dusting her hands off with one of her sweet, triumphant smiles._

 _Athena reminds me a lot of you, Chief. Definitely a go-getter._

 _For a while, I thought things were looking up. Apollo laughed that morning, despite claiming he wanted to die because of what Athena put him through. But he laughed that morning, our Apollo, louder and brighter than any of us had heard him laugh in I don't know how long. The sun seemed so bright that morning, so warm, so gentle, reassuring us that everything would be okay. That we'd never be broken again, no matter what. That no matter what happened in our future, we'd always have Apollo. Our bright, shining Apollo._

 _He'd never stop thinking about Clay. I didn't expect him to. Neither did the girls. Truth be told, Chief, we didn't want Apollo to stop thinking about him. Of course we wanted our Polly to smile, but if there was any chance he could move into the future with a smile and Clay's memories still close to heart, we were willing to take it in a heartbeat._

 _None of us will ever stop thinking about the angel that fell from the sky that day. The girls and I will never stop thinking about how close we came to losing Apollo, after he lost the friend that meant so much to him. But the day Athena took him out for a fifty lap marathon, hope was born. We were sure our Apollo would keep moving into the future, smiling. Remembering the brother he loved so dearly, with us. The rest of his family. But then-_

 _Apollo fell silent again, and that light, the light that put smiles on the faces of my girls that day, disappeared._

 _I don't know how it happened. All I know is that I woke up one morning to find Apollo gone. Trucy, Athena and I had spent the night at his apartment for movie night, free of cases for the moment. Apollo smiled but was quiet-too quiet. Lost in thought, far away in a world none of us had any hope of reaching. I asked him if he was all right, but he just smiled at me and said:_

" _I'm fine, Mr Wright."_

 _Two weeks later, here we are now. I'm in Kurain with Athena, while Apollo's back at the office with my little girl Trucy. I called an old friend of mine to see how her training was going, we got to chatting for a few minutes and then wham bam boom, found myself rushing to the airport, Athena close by. Luckily she's fine, my dear old friend, right by my side with Athena. I don't know what the three of us have gotten ourselves into, but I'm sure we're going to untangle this new web of trials. After all-_

 _It's what we do. Maya and I have done it all our lives. Athena's a pro herself._

 _I just can't keep myself from worrying about Apollo. I know my baby girl's going to be all right, Mia, but I'm not at all sure about Apollo._

 _Hopefully, nothing crazy will happen while I'm gone. He needs more time to rest._

* * *

"What?! Klavier's been arrested?! You've gotta be kiddin' me!"

Athena Cykes and Maya Fey, Honorable Princess of Kurain Village, exchanged panic-stricken glances. Maya knew very little about Nick's old friend Klavier, but judging by the tone and volume of his voice, the situation unfolding on the other end of that phone call wasn't the least bit great. Athena knew that even more so than Maya, having met Klavier enough times to know he was capable of murdering…well, absolutely nothing. Nick might as well have been talking about Pearl Fey. Taka would've made more sense.

The three of them were inside Maya's chambers, recovering from a cryptic run-in with an equally cryptic figure. Someone had taken it upon themselves to assault the young Spirit Medium during training, but luckily another someone took the time to rescue her. A figure enshrouded in mystery, speaking a language none of them understood. 'It was like he floated in from a different planet or something, Nick,' the frazzled Fey explained, gentle frown on her face, chin in the palm of her hand while her head adopted a slight tilt. 'I've never seen him before! Neither had anyone else. And I don't think he was just your ordinary, everyday tourist'.

With that mystery laid out on the table like a fresh deck of cards, Nick ushered the two young women back into the Spirit Princess' sacred chamber for a bit of rest and relaxation. Once the three of them were through the door, Trucy called, handing her father yet another deck of cards to set out on the table.

Athena, hand in Maya's, kept firm eyes on her mentor. Nick's face had gone as white as paper, ashen with disbelief. The conversation between her mentor and his daughter was still going on, but she couldn't help but press him with a question. "Boss, what's up?" she asked, her voice stern, filled with her iron-clad determination to fight.

"Are Trucy and Polly all right?"

Phoenix lowered his phone a bit, then turned to face the two women. "Trucy, yes, Apollo, no," he panted, eyes and voice ablaze with shock. "He can't be. I don't give a damn how much of a brave front he puts up."

Maya squeezed Athena's hand. The two of them exchanged pensive glances that time, their minds reeling over the developing events. "What's going on, Nick? You said someone named Klavier's been arrested?"

"Yes, on murder charges! I was expecting maybe a speeding ticket, but murder?! Klavier? Has the world gone crazy or something?!"

 _First Miles and now Klavier! What is this?! Is this Kristoph's doing? Is that even possible?!_

"Unless he's going on trial for murdering someone's ear drums, this is nothing but a load of _mierda,"_ Athena snarled, eyes flashing, fist burrowing into the palm of her other hand. Her mind was on both Klavier and Apollo, as it was only yesterday he was forced to lose the friend he loved so fiercely. Not at all thinking about the trial he put her through (trial? What trial?), Athena feared her fellow attorney's wounds were being opened up all over again.

Maya rose to her feet, hand still clutching Athena's, her face lit with the courage responsible for saving Phoenix so many times throughout their trials. "What are we doing here, then?" she bristled, pouting. Never comfortable with sitting still-that was Maya, all right.

"If you've got a friend in trouble, let's boogie on out of here and hop to it!"

"I'll take care of things here, Mr Wright," Athena assured him gently, piercing eyes pulsating with energy Phoenix had come to cherish. Using his name for only the second time that week. The first time, the only time she ever called him Mr Wright, was when Apollo's well being was laid out in front of them.

"We've got a lot to figure out here. We don't know who assaulted Maya, or why. We definitely don't know anything about the guy that saved her. But one thing's for sure. With me on the case, not even the Devil himself has the slightest chance of hurting the Lady Fey. Now go! _Fretta!"_

Maya looked at her oldest friend with eyes made of love. "We can catch up later, Nick," she promised, the look in her eyes reminding Nick of how much she sacrificed, how many times she smiled, just to keep him going. To keep him from worrying about her. She was definitely worried about whatever was going on at home, but if Nick had a friend in trouble, if things were bad back at the agency, then by all means he needed to pack right back up and get back home.

"Athena and I will be fine! If someone needs you, you've got to get to them! Don't worry about me!"

Those words took him back into time, where a certain Spirit Medium-in-Training had vanished off the face of the earth, desperately reaching out to a certain attorney for help. The time that same young Spirit Medium was taken hostage, fearing for her life. Mourning the loss of her sister, all the while trying so hard to smile. Those words and the look in her eyes took him back to every last one of those places, not at all making anything clear but putting him even more into a corner.

Phoenix Wright had two choices. He could leave Athena to protect Maya on her own, in a situation that could possibly become a destructive avalanche against Maya and everything she held dear. Or he could remain in Kurain and have Apollo defend his old friend Klavier without him.

"Ah! The last thing I wanted was for Apollo to take a case, any case, right now, and Klavier being charged for mur-but I can't-I just can't leave you two here!"

Athena gave him an eagle's gaze. "Who do you need to worry about more, Boss, us or Apollo and Klavier?"

"Touche, Thena, but I just can't leave you girls here!"

"Nick, c'mon! Remember all of the times you pulled me out of tight spots! Someone needs you so you should go to them! You shouldn't even be here anymore, Nick!"

"You're not helping things, Maya!"

"I don't care! Someone needs your help, you should go and help them! It's that simple! You _always_ overthink things!"

Athena couldn't help but smile at the two of them, inwardly thrilled over being able to see their time-honored friendship for herself. But then she eyed Phoenix as he returned his attention to the phone, hearing either Trucy or Apollo ask for him. Her eyes widened, and she exchanged another fretful glance with Maya, upon hearing it was Apollo on the other end.

"Apollo. What is it? What's wrong? Are you all right?"

…

"The girls and I are fine. No one's hurt. But are you-we don't know yet. Maya said a man with lavender-scented hair rescued her. We still need to figure out why she was assaulted in the first place, but-"

Nick turned to Maya, handing her the phone. With the expression of a confused lion cub, the Princess of Kurain took the phone in hand, put it up to her ear and-

"Hi. Maya here. Am I talking to Polly?"

…

Maya lit up with a world of excitement, but then remembered Apollo was definitely in some kind of dark trouble. "Hi Polly," she said, her excitement dampened by affectionate sadness. "Yep, it's been way too long, but what's going on? Are you-yeah, I know. Nick's friend Klavier has been arrested. You're going to save him, right?"

…

"Do you need us on the job? If you do, we'll be there on the next Maya Fey Express! You can count on us to get the job done, Apollo! Just say the word and we're there!"

…

"No? Are you sure? It sounds like Klavier really meants a lot to everyone. I don't want you and Trucy going it alone. If you need us-are you absolutely sure?"

Athena exchanged glances with Nick that time. Maya's face had wilted very much like a dying flower, drenched in sadness and worry. "I'll be fine, don't worry about me," the Spirit Medium frowned, her voice tender, sad, stern. Very much like a big sister's. Phoenix felt his eyes beginning to burn.

 _You've grown up so much, Maya._

"If you need help, just please, tell us. We'll be there. Me too."

…

"Okay, but if you call again and Nick's face goes white like paper again, we're going down there."

With her puppy pout, Maya gave the phone back to her old friend. "We'll get things done down here, Apollo, don't you worry about it," Phoenix reminded him, suddenly slapped in the face with how many times they've told Apollo not to worry about anything. Ack, that usually only made things worse. Especially for people like Apollo.

"The second I feel you need my help, I'll be on the first plane back."

Maya's passionate 'me too' rang off in the background. The call between two attorneys ended, with Phoenix shoving his phone back into his chest pocket. "I can't take you back with me, Princess," the veteran attorney said, both playful and worried. "Things aren't the way they used to be. You've got a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders here, at Kurain Village."

Athena stepped between the two of them, wearing one of her cheeky smiles. "Instead of another adorable game of ping pong, amigos, why don't we get down to business? Let's figure out why the Lady Fey was in trouble in the first place. Then maybe, maybe once we clear our heads a bit, we'll be able to lend a helping hand to Apollo and Trucy. Sound like a plan?"

"Sounds like THE plan, Stan," Maya declared, bolting off into one of her chamber's back rooms. "Back in a bit, we need tea to fuel the fire!"

"Wish I could summon Simon from the depths of darkness," Athena groaned, arms folded and eyes downcast. Neither of them verbally acknowledged how Maya bounced out of the room, inwardly glowing over the Spirit Medium's energy. "Yeah he's a prosecutor, which unfortunately doesn't put him on the same team as Klavier, but he'd help out because he's our friend."

"Yeah, and speaking of Team Prosecutor…"

Phoenix's eyes darkened. Attorneys gave each other helping hands, but when it came to the Prosecutor's Office, well…their job was to prosecute. That was the long and short of it, even if it meant going against one of their own. Picturing Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth against Prosecutor Klavier Gavin?

Nick decided he'd have more fun literally cutting his heart out. So no point in asking Edgey-poo for any favors.

"Let's leave Prosecutor Blackquill on his vacation," he told the friend at his side warmly, patting her on the back. "We'll hold down the fort."

 _All the while hoping Apollo hangs on._


	5. Cornering the Truth

"Wish I could summon Simon from the depths of darkness," Athena groaned, arms folded and eyes downcast. Neither of them verbally acknowledged how Maya bounced out of the room, inwardly glowing over the Spirit Medium's energy. "Yeah he's a prosecutor, which unfortunately doesn't put him on the same team as Klavier, but he'd help out because he's our friend."

"Yeah, and speaking of Team Prosecutor…"

Phoenix's eyes darkened. Attornies gave each other helping hands, but when it came to the Prosecutor's Office, well…their job was to prosecute. That was the long and short of it, even if it meant going against one of their own. Picturing Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth against Prosecutor Klavier Gavin?

Nick decided he'd have more fun literally cutting his heart out. So no point in asking Edgey-poo for any favors.

"Let's leave Prosecutor Blackquill on his vacation," he told the friend at his side warmly, patting her on the back. "We'll hold down the fort."

 _All the while hoping Apollo hangs on._

* * *

 _This time, on 'The Heart of a Turnabout':_

 _A worried Trucy watches as Apollo uncovers information about his newest case. Their investigation begins inside the Kit Kat lounge, where Klavier was meant to experience a musical rebirth-but ended up starring in the agency's darkest case yet! An unexpected ally joins the defense, but what gruesome information awaits them inside the investigation? How is Apollo holding up? All of that and more, in this episode of 'The Heart of a Turnabout'!_

Author's note: Chapter introduction inspired by Tyranee's Lets Dubs of the Ace Attorney series. Chapter written to 'Sneaking In' from the Lightning Returns OST and 'Shades of Grey' by Oliver Heldens/Shaun Frank/Delaney Jane. The song from Lightning Returns was used for the investigation and went with it beautifully.

* * *

 _I think my brother's about to explode._

 _He's trying really hard to be strong, but it's not working out that well. No one else can see through Polly's mask, but I know him better than they do. He's hurting, just like he was when that angel made of stars fell from the sky. Daddy said Apollo lost a part of his soul the day that angel fell, a piece of his heart he'll never be able to get back. It made Daddy really sad to tell me that. It still makes him sad, thinking of the angel that had to leave poor Polly. It makes me and big sis really sad too. And it's happening again. Polly's losing a part of himself. It's being taken into some strange, dark forest that eats everything alive._

 _He and Klavier have been really close, ever since the day they met. Just like the angel we had to say goodbye to, Klavier's really special to Polly. I can't really put how much Klavier means to my big baby brother in words. Polly doesn't say it, but he lights up like a fireworks show whenever Klavier's around. And now he's in danger. Sweet, super nice Klavier's in trouble. We're going to save him, even without Daddy and big sis to help us, but-_

 _I'm worried about Apollo. I think he needs to be saved, too._

She watched him, the young magician with eyes made of stars. She watched him as he paced about the lobby of the Kit Kat lounge, where his newest client made his most recent appearance. Clutching her heart, she watched as her big baby brother gathered information from several of the staff members, while police officers and detectives continued to float around the crime scene. Detective Dick Gumshoe wasn't one of them; he was away with the Chief Prosecutor on a conference, attending to him as usual. Making sure his old friend and long-time hero could get through each day without a hitch. Fortunately, Gumshoe mentored the other detectives.

Trucy gazed around at the Kit Kat lounge's lobby, eyes ablaze with sadness. The lounge had just opened a few weeks ago, to give budding musicians and veteran musicians alike a chance to meet. Play, create, dream, stir up magic. It was meant to be a breeding ground for dreams, but on a particularly painful night, the beautiful lounge fell into a chasm of chaos. One stained with blood and a shattered heart.

Klavier (who had gone back to being Prosecutor Gavin to Polly) hadn't touched music in months, still scarred by losing his band and badly wounded by losing Daryan Crescend to a prison sentence. He never mentioned it (he and Apollo were alike in so many ways), but from the little time she and Apollo spent with the Gavineers, it was easy to tell Klavier and Daryan were close. But-

Just like his brother, Klavier's band mate vanished. So did the rest of the band.

Apollo was observant, pensive, focused on gathering every bit of information. Not at all thinking about the look on his client's face, the cold, lonely cell he had to sit in, or the memories they shared. It was no different when the angel fell from the sky. The young attorney exerted every bone in his body to banish all thoughts of Clay, and was using the same tactic to protect himself against the newest trial. As far as Apollo was concerned, Klavier Gavin was nothing more than a client. Another name in his notebook, one without any special memories attached to it.

 _I'm just glad Daddy, big sis and Miss Maya are okay._

Apollo, eyes shining with newly acquired knowledge, ran towards the young magician. As the lounge continued to hum with the voices of reporters and detectives, the attorney shared what he had learned. Normally he would have asked her why she wasn't exploring the crime scene herself, as she was usually like a marble in a can when it came to helping out her family, but understood why she was frozen. So no pressing was done. "There was a pretty big performance last night," he began, hands balled into fists. "Apparently, Prosecutor Gavin came here to revive his love of music. He wasn't the guest-he was the _highlight_ of last night's roster."

Trucy took off her hat, then covered her heart with it. "So maybe someone sabotaged the concert," the young woman offered, eyes wreathed in sorrow. "Maybe someone was jealous and wanted to get Klavier in trouble."

"That's a definite possibility," the young attorney said, folding his arms. "Our client has a strong knack for hanging out with the wrong crowd, so he might have gotten mixed in with a band that wasn't too fond of him."

The eyes of Apollo's assistant widened in horror. "But then why play with them? If they hated him, wouldn't that have made him feel horrible?"

Apollo thought for a moment, rubbing at his chin, then provided her with an answer. "It might have gotten under his skin, but our client very well may have hidden it. He has a history of keeping everything buried, even if its tearing him apart. Prosecutor Gavin may have felt he was helping to promote them. Maybe they wanted to ride on his coattails, and he gave them permission to do so. In any case-"

Both attorney and musician covered their ears a second later, the sound of a whistle slamming against their eardrums. Grimacing, Apollo turned to the source of the chaos with his sister. It was a detective cloaked in blue, eyes bright as fireflies and a smile larger than the moon. Not at all thrilled at being interrupted in the middle of an investigation, the attorney snapped at the intruder-

"Mind telling us what's going on, Detective? We're reviewing the crime scene."

Trucy, hat still over her heart, looked the detective over. Definitely one of Gumshoe's pupils, clad in smiles and eagerness. "Just thought I'd give you a heads-up on a few things, before you dig any deeper," the man made of sunshine said, voice reminding the magician very much of the drill sergeant Apollo defended a while back.

"The Kit Kat lounge hosted some music celebration last night. A lot of big wigs, the culprit included, made their way here to light some fireworks. One heck of a finale was planned, and our guy was meant to be the star. He also had a pretty huge solo act planned. Was meant to light up the world himself, that night."

"Maybe someone really was jealous of him, then," Trucy said breathlessly, hands in the tightest fists, face alive with hope. "Maybe he came here last night to start going solo and stuff, and someone wanted to step all over his plans!"

"You might be getting somewhere, little lady, but I wouldn't be so confident at this point in the game. A bit too early to be celebrating."

Apollo wasted no time in speaking. "Why?"

"From what I've been able to hear, our guy and the band…they were at each other's throats."

The dart across Apollo's face drove a knife into Trucy's heart.

"Some of the staff floatin' 'round here said a lot of stuff about the Big Kahuna dishin' out orders."

There went another dart. And another. Memories of that night with the Gavineers and Lamiroir slammed back into Apollo's mind, Daryan's and Klavier's conversations being the highlights of those reels, eating away at him like a billion piranha-

 _Apollo, breathe. Let it out. Scream. Do something, just stop keeping it all bottled in, please!_

Apollo made a quick recovery, but it gave Trucy no reason to celebrate. "The staff," he said, as if the detective hadn't said anything at all. "The staff might have been biased against him. A lot of the Gavineers fans blame our client for breaking the band up. But then that brings up the question: if that's the case, then why allow him to play?"

He and Trucy shared a single word, eyes zeroing in on each other with wills made of iron. "Sabotage."

"Someone set all of this up to make our client take a really hard fall," the attorney continued, rubbing his bracelet. "Whatever was going on between him, the band members and the Kit Kat lounge's staff, it was made so he'd fall flat on his face. With no hope of getting up."

"But then that brings up another question, Grasshopper," the detective said while raising his hand, after blowing his whistle again. Trucy couldn't help but giggle at him-he seemed very friendly, willing to help out her and her brother.

"Why kill off one of their own to prove a point? If everyone hated our Big Kahuna so much, why not just kill him and be done with it? Why make one of the band members a stiff and not the Rock God Prosecutor?"

"Maybe one of the Kit Kat lounge staff members did it," the young magician offered, raising her own hand. "Maybe one of them didn't like the band playing here!"

"So if we take this route, we're going with the possibility of the staff being biased against the band, and not Prosecutor Gavin," Apollo put in quickly, still rubbing his bracelet. "But then we're back in a corner, because why go through the trouble of making it look like our client did it? Why not pin the murder on one of the other band members?"

"Maybe if we start off with some facts, boys and girls, we'll make a little more progress," the detective cut in, after giving a soft blow to his whistle. "Now! Let's start from the very beginning. Fact number one: our victim is none other than Alto Cantata, guitarist of the Twilight Notes."

"Was he a Gavineers fan?"

The detective (a man with a whistle but still without a name) lifted a finger. "Dunno. He was, however, the closest one to our Big Kahuna. Fact number two: lights went out, and when they came back on, our guy was found next to the victim. Fact number three: both were covered in the victim's blood."

"That means our client must've had the blood poured on him somehow," the attorney replied instantly, the electricity of his determination elevation. "Or rubbed all over him, or something. One way or another, someone got access to the victim's blood and smeared our client's name all over it."

Trucy gasped, hands clasped over her mouth. "And who turned out the lights? If Klavier was on the stage, it couldn't have been him, right?"

"Well, no, but that still has him pegged as the guy that turned out Mr Cantata's lights. He may not have been playing with the stage lights, but he's the guy responsible for playing with the guitarist. Or so they say."

"Someone at some point had something against our client," Apollo stated, making an extra harder attempt to continue using 'our client'. Not even 'Prosecutor Gavin' would work. "They squabbled with each other, leading us to where we are now. Maybe…maybe…maybe the victim had some sort of connection with the Gavineers or something."

Trucy bit her bottom lip. Apollo's train of thought was wavering off the track. He was trying to keep up the strong, pensive look, but that too was fading and fading fast. The detective, noticing the look on the attorney's face, turned to the young woman with eyes made of surprising concern. "Big Kahuna's a friend of his, am I right missie?" he asked softly, wearing a gentle smile. She nodded.

"Uh huh. How did you know that?"

"I watch TV," he replied, after giving a tiny blow to his whistle. "I've been posted in the courtroom couple o' times too. They battle each other in court but I've never seen a real battle between 'em. Our guy's as nice as a cat in a hat. Some prosecutor but one heck of a charmer. No wonder the band had it out for 'em."

"Sir, may I ask you something?"

The detective turned to Apollo with his hands on his hips, pretending to be angry. "You just did, whippersnapper, but go ahead."

"Would you happen to know Wendy Oldbag, by any chance?"

Trucy almost tripped over herself. "Polly! Why would you ask such a thing?!"

Apollo held out the palms of his hands in surrender. "He keeps calling us 'whippersnappers'. She calls everyone whippersnapper. I thought they'd know each other! Especially since she's a security guard, he's a detective-"

Both were bowled over by another hearty, harsh blow on a certain whistle. "Don't assume things, Grasshopper! I don't know anything about your Wendy Oldbag so get your head on straight! I'm Detective Atticus, darlings, remember that!"

Getting back on his feet, then helping Trucy to stand back up, Apollo presented him with another question. "Sorry, Detective Atticus," he sighed, rolling his eyes in a kitten's playful tone. "At least we finally know your name. I assume you know I'm Apollo Justice and that's Trucy Wright, both of us being from-"

"The Wright Anything Agency, I know, I know," the detective nodded, hand about his chin. "Got one of your business cards from Phoenix Wright. And once again, I've seen you guys in and out of the courthouse."

"So you're on Klavier's side then? Polly, we've got another member on our team! Team Gramarye!"

"Course you do. Someone asked me t' look after you guys, after all, and I can't let 'im down."

Apollo couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He rejected Mr Wright's and Miss Maya Fey's offers for assistance, not wanting to interfere with anything-particularly Nick's reunion with Miss Fey. Receiving help without infringing on another's reunion with a lifelong friend-priceless. Definitely not something he'd turn down.

Suddenly feeling fifty years older, Apollo smiled and put out a hand towards Atticus.

"Welcome to the team, Detective. We're happy to have you."

* * *

 _Extra author's notes: The detective's description is left vague so you can create your own description for him. He can be young, middle aged, old, entirely your choice. Have fun with him. :) He originally didn't exist-he came up while this chapter was being born. Originally, Apollo and Trucy were going to go the investigation alone._

 _The detective was going to be Ema Skye, but I decided to send her to Nick and Athena's storyline, otherwise known as an alternate version of Ace Attorney 6._

 _This chapter was supposed to focus on Klavier being imprisoned, but I have dubbed this chapter the Chapter of Procrastination because I didn't feel like focusing on the poor thing's pain. But he'll come next chapter._

 _Thank you for being a part of this adventure. It really does mean a lot._


	6. Town in Which No One Can Find Me

_Previously, on 'The Heart of a Turnabout':_

Getting back on his feet, then helping Trucy to stand back up, Apollo presented him with another question. "Sorry, Detective Atticus," he sighed, rolling his eyes in a kitten's playful tone. "At least we finally know your name. I assume you know I'm Apollo Justice and that's Trucy Wright, both of us being from-"

"The Wright Anything Agency, I know, I know," the detective nodded, hand about his chin. "Got one of your business cards from Phoenix Wright. And once again, I've seen you guys in and out of the courthouse."

"So you're on Klavier's side then? Polly, we've got another member on our team! Team Gramarye!"

"Course you do. Someone asked me t' look after you guys, after all, and I can't let 'im down."

Apollo couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He rejected Mr Wright's and Miss Maya Fey's offers for assistance, not wanting to interfere with anything-particularly Nick's reunion with Miss Fey. Receiving help without infringing on another's reunion with a lifelong friend-priceless. Definitely not something he'd turn down.

Suddenly feeling fifty years older, Apollo smiled and put out a hand towards Atticus.

"Welcome to the team, Detective. We're happy to have you."

* * *

This time, on 'The Heart of a Turnabout':

We're up to speed with Apollo and the rest of our heroes, but what's going on with the agency's newest client, the rock star prosecutor Klavier Gavin? How's he holding up in the midst of the chaos? All that and more, coming up in 'The Heart of a Turnabout'!

(Chapter introduction inspired by Tyranee's Lets Dubs of the Ace Attorney series. Chapter written to 'The Afternoon Streets' from Kingdom Hearts 2, and 'Turnabout Sisters Music Box' from the Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney soundtrack.)

* * *

 _I don't know what to do. Don't know where to go. I don't know anything anymore._

 _I'm scared._

 _Please, please don't leave me. Please don't leave me, Apollo. Please._

 _Please don't go. I need you. Please, please help me._

It all happened so fast, the fabric of the universe being turned inside out to create something new, frightening, vast. Cold. It wasn't meant to happen that way-the night should've been something magical, wonderful, a perfect setting for a musical rebirth. The night turned out to be anything but wonderful, though. It landed him in a prison that kept him cold and frightened, as there wasn't even the tiniest drop of light inside his cell.

It all happened so fast, the unraveling of his life's last threads. The knives being driven into whatever was left of his soul. The events of the night were a blur, and what he could remember drove knives deeper. Shivers ran through him as he tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together, each one colder than the darkest side of the moon. There was the tiniest chance he'd be of some use to Apollo, so gathering what he could remember was something that had to be done. But the final threads of his sanity were tattered, weak, much too useless to be of worth to anyone.

Much like his existence.

 _"Prosecutor Gavin! Hang on, Prosecutor Gavin! I'm getting you out of this, I swear it! I'll die doing it if I have to, but I'm getting you out of there! You have my word! As an attorney and as your friend!"_

Apollo. Through the violent flashes of light and bitter voices, Apollo's voice pierced the air loud and clear. Very much like the first song of the morning, breaking through the night's storm. Looking at the attorney would've been worse than skinning himself alive, but he knew. He knew the fire that burned inside the attorney's eyes. That familiar, precious flash wielding a lion's vigor-something he, Klavier Gavin, needed more than air. His saving grace was all that kept him going. The only flame of light in an overwhelming torrent of silence.

He kept himself hidden from Apollo for what must've been an eternity, not wanting to interfere with a life that didn't need him. A life nurtured by a much brighter, divine light. He met Apollo and the Wright Anything Agency's newest attorney, Athena, at Themis for an adventure he'd always keep close to heart, and for a while the three of them smiled. Smiled underneath the academy's roof, under the same sky, pursuing the truth. Defying the boundaries of darkness to protect the future.

That was the last time he saw the light, back in Themis. Once the book closed on that trial, the world became silent. A torrent of truths that kept him locked inside a cell, whether the sun was high or the moon ruled over all. He became so small, helpless against the truths that battered him into nothingness. The shards of the past were daggers in his side, ripping him open even as he sat inside the cell, head bowed. Eyes closed. Face burning with the rain cascading.

Laughter burned his ears, cruel and merciless like the rain inside his memories. A voice from the past taunted him, laughing at him for daring to hope. Mocking him for even believing in the light blazing beyond his cell door.

' _Well well well, sweet brother of mine. Look at what you've gotten yourself into. And you expect dear Justice to get you out? How utterly pathetic.'_

The venom inside that voice kept his insides burning. He felt as though poison were literally being poured into his every vein. Shivering, he could do nothing but writhe against the voice echoing inside his head. Against the memories he fought so desperately to reclaim, but failed to reach. Fighting the memories of his brother while trying to piece the present's puzzle together-impossible. Even for Apollo. Fighting against that laughter, quiet yet devilish, was like trying to rid one's self of a thousand blade wounds.

Even more rain burned his eyes. No matter how hard he tried, nothing came to mind. Nothing at all about that night resurfaced. He'd be even more useless to Apollo than before, and the attorney _volunteered_ to defend him.

' _Shame on you, spatzi. Waiting for your one true love to rescue you, when you're right where you belong. With me.'_

Klavier curled into a ball, devoid of a voice but crying a thousand tears. Reaching for the only beam of hope. The chaos had stolen his voice, but words fell from his lips in a tearful whisper.

' _Please. Please help me. Help me, liebchen. Please. I want to be with you. Please.'_


	7. Pursuit

_'Please. Please help me. Help me, liebchen. Please. I want to be with you. Please.'_

Trucy tugged on her brother's arm, eyes and voice alive with concern. "Apollo? Big brother?"

The attorney returned to the present, the world about him coming back into focus. It all became clear in the matter of seconds-he, Trucy and Detective Atticus were still inside the Kit Kat lounge, investigating what was rapidly proving to be the strangest case of his career. He still found it impossible to believe his client (someone he still couldn't call by name) had taken a life, so that made it effortless to believe they were walking through another dimension. A space in which logic didn't exist, as it was overtaken by insanity.

The voices, lights and sounds of the Kit Kat lounge were the knells of morning's end. The loud, vibrant colors of the lounge assaulted his senses, reminding him to stay in the present. The latest development: Detective Atticus, one of Gumshoe's pupils, joined the defense's bench. A man that had an odd affinity for blue and the whistle about his neck. 'Must've been a Drill Sergeant in his past life,' the attorney groaned at one point, clasping his hands over his ears. Their new friend's whistle was pretty powerful-could've knocked an elephant right off its feet.

But if he was one of Gumshoe's, he was one of Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth's. Trucy trusted him and he seemed to be very compassionate towards the culprit. Plenty of reasons to let him on Team Gramarye. He was hitting the ground hard, talking to one of the lounge's staff members. A certain attorney must've been talking to him at one point, but stopped as he was hit hard by a voice. A dagger that cut through his thoughts, his heartbeat, his breath. Atticus took the baton, and was more than willing to gather any information he could. The one currently on trial for providing defense: Clopin Wheelie. Someone that must've been a part of a circus troupe in a past life. Certainly added a healthy dose of color to the Kit Kat lounge's environment. And in the middle of a crime scene-

Apollo felt color was desperately needed. The one thing they didn't need, though? Clopin's voice. A harsh, deep, odd sound that reminded the attorney of an orca. Not in the most flattering way, either. At least Trucy and Detective Atticus weren't having their ears burned out. He pushed himself past the staff member's grating voice, reaching out for all bits of available information.

"Tonight was something we called 'The Festival of Notes', sure sure! We invited the biggest names in music to come on by, sure sure, to celebrate the lounge's grand opening! We had a lot of huge performers from all corners of the earth, sure sure!"

Atticus folded his arms, eyes burrowing deeper into a world of thought. "Mind telling me if a certain Kahuna and a certain band were at each other's throats?"

"Seemed that way. I didn't hear much, but things definitely weren't going well between them, nope nope. If you ask me, though, sounds like one of the band members had their feathers ruffled over Mr Gavin. Really ruffled, yep yep."

Trucy got a little closer to the one named Clopin, eyes ablaze like a firefly's wings. "Really ruffled? How so? Did they not like him?"

Apollo lowered his gaze, instinctively rubbing his bracelet again. Nothing was going off-no sirens, no red flares. As strange as Clopin was, he was definitely telling the truth. "Didn't sound like it," the man who looked very much like a clown said, crossing his arms over his chest to form an X. He then dashed a finger across his throat. "Lots of people are really big bullies to that guy Gavin," he murmured, leaning in closer as though he were revealing an ancient secret. "They like blaming him for his band falling apart, yep yep. I think that's what the victim and the other band members were poking him over, yep yep."

Atticus' eyes were daggers of the coldest steel. "Don't like where you're goin' with this, cricket."

Apollo laid a hand on the man's shoulder. "Hold on, Detective," he said, voice soft with concern, heavy with thoughts. "Mr Wheelie, are you trying to say that our culprit was provoked into committing the murder?"

With a thousand arrows piercing the attorney's heart, Clopin nodded as if his life depended on how fast he answered. "Yep yep, feels like that could've happened, sure sure," the man of a million colors squealed, eyes alive with alarm. Taking firm note of the look on the Detective's face, and the worry spreading across Trucy's, Apollo continued quickly, confidently, firmly.

"Not an option I'm proud of entertaining, but we could use the self-defense card. Anything that'll help my client's sticking close at hand, and if Prosecutor Gavin was egged into attacking-"

Atticus sighed, shaking his head. "Let me throw one at ya, Grasshopper," he cut in. "Do you think this prosecutor of yours could be 'egged' into taking a life? Self-defense, yeah, sure, but we're not talking bar brawl here. And the last time I checked, he's even more gentle than my mother."

"Maybe it was _set up_ to look like Klavier was provoked into killing him," the young magician nodded, taking a cue from Clopin. Apollo gave the young woman and detective a warm, affectionate smile. The latter preventing him from making an enormous mistake.

Detective Atticus was right. No card deserved to be kept in the defense's deck if it meant doing irreparable damage to the client.

"And we still need to figure out what happened with the lights. Clopin, if you wouldn't mind-"

"No no, not at all, Mr Justice," the Kit Kat lounge's staff member said, eyes alive with eagerness, hope. "I'd be delighted to give you all a tour of the backstage, yup yup! I'm a huge fan of yours and Mr Prosecutor Gavin's, yup yup. If I can do anything to help put an end to this, I'll do it, for sure!"


	8. Logic and Tension

"Not an option I'm proud of entertaining, but we could use the self-defense card. Anything that'll help my client's sticking close at hand, and if Prosecutor Gavin was egged into attacking-"

Atticus sighed, shaking his head. "Let me throw one at ya, Grasshopper," he cut in. "Do you think this prosecutor of yours could be 'egged' into taking a life? Self-defense, yeah, sure, but we're not talking bar brawl here. And the last time I checked, he's even more gentle than my mother."

"Maybe it was set up to look like Klavier was provoked into killing him," the young magician nodded, taking a cue from Clopin. Apollo gave the young woman and detective a warm, affectionate smile. The latter preventing him from making an enormous mistake.

Detective Atticus was right. No card deserved to be kept in the defense's deck if it meant doing irreparable damage to the client.

"And we still need to figure out what happened with the lights. Clopin, if you wouldn't mind-"

"No no, not at all, Mr Justice," the Kit Kat lounge's staff member said, eyes alive with eagerness, hope. "I'd be delighted to give you all a tour of the backstage, yup yup! I'm a huge fan of yours and Mr Prosecutor Gavin's, yup yup. If I can do anything to help put an end to this, I'll do it, for sure!"

* * *

This time, on 'The Heart of a Turnabout':

The investigation continues! Apollo, Trucy and Detective Atticus follow Clopin deeper into a world of mysteries. What dark truths will they uncover about the case? Will they find anything, anything at all, to help them in their defense of Prosecutor Klavier Gavin? All that and more, on this episode of 'The Heart of a Turnabout'!

 _Author's Note: Chapter introduction inspired by Tyranee's Lets Dubs of the Ace Attorney series. I sometimes imagine Dan DeLaRosa narrating my chapter introductions, as he sometimes narrates the beginning of the Ace Attorney episodes. Chapter written to 'Dai Gyakuten Saiban-Joint Reasoning Theme', 'Dai Gyakuten Saiban-Suspense' and 'Logic and Tricks' from Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney. While the PL vs AA ost is oh so good, the Dai Gyakuten Saiban soundtrack is pure blockbuster magic. Listen to it some time._

* * *

A trio of hearts were on the same wavelength, beating with the same escalating tension. The young attorney, magician and detective followed the Kit Kat's staff member into the lounge's concealed areas, where magic and memories were meant to become one. Not a single member of the trio could ignore how chaos had been born in the place of smiles, shortly after the lounge's grand opening.

Clopin, cloaked from head to toe in the colors of the rainbow, was an odd element of the tense evening. The bright colors of his staff uniform challenged the much darker colors of the surrounding environment, reminding the trio they were really trapped in a strange abyss. A void that cancelled out all light, ushering in the darkness. Trucy couldn't help but focus on Apollo, who had returned to the same void of silence he made himself familiar with after an angel disappeared. His eyes were glued on Clopin, radiant with a drive to find the truth-even if it cost him his life.

It was the very same look he had in his eyes, right before he left the agency. To enter a world all his own.

In what must've been seconds, the small team found themselves backstage. Where musicians once gathered, in a cascade of thoughts and dreams, stood the markings of a crime scene. Yellow tape blocked off areas that weren't meant to be seen by public eyes. Abandoned instruments awaited the return of their owners. Voices brewed inside the backstage area, many of them belonging to reporters, others belonging to police officers. Trucy noted the reporters' interest in Apollo's interest-the young magician saw surges of excitement burst onto their faces. However, her attention was soon returned to Clopin, who was destined to lead them even deeper into the strangest case she had ever encountered.

"This is where it all began, yup yup! Where the band met and shared ideas, yup yup! Mr Justice, you and your friends are more than welcome to look around, yup yup, for anything that might help you in your investigation!"

Trucy kept her eyes firmly planted on her attorney. Apollo, eyes glazed over in the fire she came to fear not too long ago, paced around the backstage area. Where musicians once stood, just a short while ago. Detective Atticus, also aware of the dimension Apollo had sealed himself in, quickly set about finding anything that would prove to be of some use. "Looks like things got pretty crazy around here," Team Gramarye's newest member mused, rubbing his chin. "I'm assuming all of the performers gathered here, then moved out on stage?"

"Yessir," the team's assistant nodded vigorously, eyes shining. Apollo faced Clopin, eyes like steel. "Which means there wasn't any time to plan the murder prior to the concert," he concluded, studying the band's instruments. "If my client gathered here with the others, and moved directly onto the stage, there must've been someone else behind the scenes. A missing band member, perhaps, or one of the staff working behind the scenes."

"How many Twilight Notes are there?" Trucy asked the rainbow clown in alarm, clutching her heart with both hands. "How many were out on the stage? Maybe there's some surveillance footage we can watch?"

"Slow down there, little lady," the detective beamed, patting her on the back with a smile made of sunshine. "Definitely love that enthusiasm. But we can't rule out the other staff members. Gotta examine them too. Just up to your brother over there to decide whether or not they'll be interviewed here."

"Nothing can happen right now, unfortunately," the attorney scowled, eyes downcast, burrowing deeper into a whirlwind of thought. "The rest of the band's being interviewed. I won't have the chance to speak with them for a while. But I do have a question for you, Mr Wheelie."

"Sure sure, Mr Justice. Ask up, up, up and away!"

Trucy grimaced, noticing how Apollo was acting as if though Klavier's (i.e his client's) belongings weren't even in the room. No one else would have caught it, but his body language, the look on his face-every fiber of his being was pressed to its limit, in the hopes of ignoring everything. Memories, the prosecutor's smile-

"What can you tell me about Alto Cantanta?" the attorney asked, hands in his pockets, eyes still made of steely determination. Clopin rose his palms, face wreathed in a mixture of alarm, horror and sadness.

"Oh sir, Mr Cantanta, from the sound of things, me oh my. I couldn't hear too much, sir, but Mr Cantanta said quite a few things to Mr Gavin, none of them at all pleasant. Things about the Gavineers, not wanting to share the spotlight with him-"

Right then and there, it was as if the Phantom made a cameo to plunge a knife deep into Apollo's heart. Trucy's brother, however, quickly pulled it out and continued. "Let's go back to the young lady's question," the detective stepped in, also noting the flash of pain on the attorney's face. Time for a diversion.

"How many Twilight Notes are we talkin' about here? Were they really all here, in this room?"

Clopin nodded while clapping. "Oh yes, sir, six in all there were, standing right underneath the big top! Mr Cantanta included. They were all here, preparing for the big night, sir!"

Trucy's eyes were locked on Apollo. At that moment, her father's pupil was studying a certain collection of musical treasures. A guitar case, sheet music, one book, two books-

"The initials 'AC' are all over these items. I take it Mr Cantanta was incredibly protective towards his possessions, and probably wasn't too fond of sharing the spotlight with anyone. Do you know if he had any quarrels with his bandmates, Mr Wheelie?"

"I can answer that one for you, Grasshopper," Atticus stepped in, voice gentle and warm. "I read up on the band myself. I'm no Twilight Notes encyclopedia, but Mr Cantanta was the band's Princess, kiddo. Trust me."

Trucy let out a mournful sigh, shoulders slumped. "Which means they're all testifying against Klavier. The prosecutor we're gonna go up against already has a bunch of witnesses on his side, Polly!"

That time a javelin buried itself in Apollo's heart. And that wasn't pulled out as quickly as the knife. "Don't lose hope just yet, Truce," he told her, voice a soft Spring wind. He settled a hand on her shoulder, working at a smile. "The truth just may win one of them over. We'll find out soon enough, okay?"

"Kiddo, think you better come 'n take a look at this!"

Apollo exchanged frantic glances with Trucy and Clopin. In mere seconds, the three of them were at Detective Atticus' side, faces on fire with alarm. Atticus' face was ablaze with the adrenaline rush of a new discovery, and in his hands was a vial. "What is it, Mr Atticus?" Clopin and Trucy asked at once, voices shrill, Apollo's eyes echoing those very same words.

"Somethin' not too pretty, kids. I've run into this stuff before and it packs a pretty mighty punch. Pulled it out of that bag there."

Gripping his bracelet, Apollo eyed the very bag Atticus pointed at-and promptly felt a volley of arrows pierce his heart. It was a purple knapsack he had seen before. One that belonged to none other than-

"Klavier!" Trucy sounded very much like a frightened, heartbroken animal. "That's Klavier's bag! Polly and I saw it in his office a couple of times! That's his bag, I know it is!"

Apollo posed the question slowly, delicately, not at all looking forward to the answer. "What is that you're holding, Detective?"

"Somethin' powerful enough to drug a horde of elephants in one go. This stuff right here can do some heavy damage, faster than your mother can whip up porridge. Called the Elysium stimulant. Can warp your mind quicker than the sun can rise, and shut you down faster than you can blink."

Cutting off Clopin pre-shriek, a stone-faced Apollo took the vial from the detective's hands. "Could've been planted," he said, firm, unwavering, not only speaking to those around him but to himself as well. "It may not have been the victim, but any one of the band members could have-"

"That look on your face isn't too convincing, Tiger."

Ashen but even more determined to help her brother, in any way she could, Trucy stepped in. "So what, someone drugged Mr Cantanta, turned out the lights, had him killed onstage and framed Klavier? But why the drug? Why use it at all?"

"To keep the guy totally in the dark, kitten."

Apollo spoke right after the detective, his words immediate, laced in dark tension.

"Or to keep Prosecutor Gavin in the dark."


	9. Author's Court Record

_Author's Corner! May 2 2016._

* * *

Courtney here. Thank you for taking the time to read my Ace Attorney adventure, The Heart of a Turnabout'. It's an adventure I've been carrying around for quite some time, and am just now able to write it out. I feel like a mother bird that's been sheltering a baby bird for quite some time, so I hope you enjoy the rest of the adventure!

This is actually my second full-fledged entry in the Ace Attorney fandom, the first one being 'The Break in a Turnabout'. That one was also set after Dual Destinies, and focused heavily on Apollo just as 'Heart' does. Post DD Apollo has always been very close to my heart, right along with my story ideas.

I think about this story at work, but unfortunately work leaves me time to do nothing but go home and get into bed. I'm really only able to update on my weekends: Monday night, Tuesday and Wednesday. As much as I'd love to write all day, every day, I'm afraid I'm chained to my job five days a week. But rest assured-this adventure will meet its end. I've been carrying it around long enough.

A few things I'd like to share with you. In creating the Detective Atticus, I decided to leave his description vague because I wanted him to come to life through your eyes. Me, I imagine him as an older gentleman voiced by Richard McGonagle, voice actor made immortal by Victor Sullivan of the Uncharted series. You're free to see him as old, young, even a pre-teen if you like! Have fun with him.

The case. The details of the case are born as I write the chapter. As much as I'd love to create a case worthy of a true court, I know that can't happen because this is the Ace Attorney universe, and I don't want to sit on case details because this story has been waiting much too long to be born. So I'll keep trying my best to create a complex, eccentric case that unfolds into an epic conclusion. I just have to make sure it really is the hardest case Apollo will ever face.

Phoenix and Athena have been given a side story because I wanted the focus to be on Apollo, his growth and his relationship with Klavier. They were originally meant to just be on side cases, but I decided to involve them in an alternate version of Ace Attorney 6, having them meet with the Lady Maya in Kurain Village. No worries-they'll all meet up with Apollo and the gang much later.

Heart's voice cast: Apollo Justice (TheCausticGambler), Klavier Gavin (divinely voiced by TheDaneRaw), Phoenix Wright (DanDeLaRosa), Maya Fey (Samantha Dakin, PL vs AA voice actor), Trucy (Pinkshuchan). With the exception of Maya's voice actor, the other characters are imagined to have voices from Tyranee's fan dubs of the Ace Attorney series. Pretty amazing when you imagine characters with voices from fandubs.

I wanted to involve the WrightWorth/Narumitsu ship, but with Apollo's storyline and the side storyline, plus Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth not even making an appearance yet, I decided to just keep the one and only ship Klapollo. There will be mentions of Nick's budding relationship with Edgeworth, but it won't be at all in focus. Instead, I've decided to write a WrightWorth version of 'Heart' in the future, where Apollo will be married to Klavier and Nick's relationship with Edgeworth will be the main focus.

Thank you for reading my adventure once again! Enjoy!

-Courtney


	10. Tension Rising

_"Klavier!" Trucy sounded very much like a frightened, heartbroken animal. "That's Klavier's bag! Polly and I saw it in his office a couple of times! That's his bag, I know it is!"_

 _Apollo posed the question slowly, delicately, not at all looking forward to the answer. "What is that you're holding, Detective?"_

 _"Somethin' powerful enough to drug a horde of elephants in one go. This stuff right here can do some heavy damage, faster than your mother can whip up porridge. Called the Elysium stimulant. Can warp your mind quicker than the sun can rise, and shut you down faster than you can blink."_

 _Cutting off Clopin pre-shriek, a stone-faced Apollo took the vial from the detective's hands. "Could've been planted," he said, firm, unwavering, not only speaking to those around him but to himself as well. "It may not have been the victim, but any one of the band members could have-"_

 _"That look on your face isn't too convincing, Tiger."_

 _Ashen but even more determined to help her brother, in any way she could, Trucy stepped in. "So what, someone drugged Mr Cantanta, turned out the lights, had him killed onstage and framed Klavier? But why the drug? Why use it at all?"_

 _"To keep the guy totally in the dark, kitten."_

 _Apollo spoke right after the detective, his words immediate, laced in dark tension._

 _"Or to keep Prosecutor Gavin in the dark."_

* * *

This time, on 'The Heart of a Turnabout':

While Apollo and his team wrestle with the dark truths of a horrifying case, Phoenix, Athena and Maya wrestle with the details of their own trials! Why was Maya assaulted by a band of men? Who were they? Who was the man that rescued her? Find out next, on 'The Heart of a Turnabout'!

* * *

He found himself staring out the window at times, mind traveling a thousand miles away.

Sure, there was plenty to keep him occupied. Trouble was brewing in Kurain Village, and of course, it had been forever and a day since he had seen Maya. Maya, the very same Maya Fey that had been an innocent girl the last time they met. She had since blossomed into a beautiful, radiant young woman, in charge of Kurain and all of its traditions. Someone Phoenix Wright was discovering, but welcoming back into his life with open arms, all at once. It was a blessed experience, welcoming back an old friend while experiencing the reasons they made life new, exciting, adventurous. But no matter how hard he tried, no matter how hard Kurain's storm pressed against him, he just couldn't keep his mind still.

Trucy and Apollo's call was just a short while ago. Phoenix felt as though it had been a thousand years since he had lost spoken to the children he left behind, pitted against their most difficult case yet-defending his old friend, Klavier Gavin, from murder charges. Apollo had very little experience against other prosecutors, his only other combatant being Athena's Blackquill, but those cases were probably stamped out of his memory banks. How come? There wasn't too much going on, well, save for the death of a certain angel made of stardust, and a particularly emotional trial. So how would Apollo fare against a new prosecutor? Who would it be? If it was Payne, then Klavier would be off the hook in mere seconds, but with a case of such high importance-

It would've been too easy, much too easy for Apollo and Trucy, to give the case to Payne. _And I've never been that lucky. Other than meeting my kids, I haven't had too much to consider myself 'lucky' over. It's like I'm wearing a bunch of bad luck charms._

What about Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth? A part of Phoenix desperately wanted his life-long crush to go against his son and daughter, but then again, the other half of Phoenix Wright desperately wanted anyone but Edgeworth to challenge them. He had already put Athena on trial, assisting Apollo in what would forever be the strangest case of all of their careers-someone definitely teleported all of them to the Twilight Zone for that trial. But to go against _Klavier?_ One of his own? Someone Apollo had loved for so long?

It wouldn't happen anyway. The last he heard, Edgeworth was out on conferences, aided by none other than the loyal Detective Gumshoe. But just thinking of Edgeworth going against Klavier, his children, with Trucy calling him 'Mommy'-

"Hey! Earth to Nick! Niiiiick!"

"Sorry, Maya," the attorney sighed, gently taking Maya's hands in his. She had bopped him on the forehead with her familiar pout, cheeks puffed out like a piranha. She, despite everything she had gone through in just a few hours, was sorely concerned over those left behind as well. And of course she hated seeing Nick anything less than happy. It had been one of the world's many truths since the day they met.

"Just can't help but think of them, Apollo, Trucy. Klavier. My little girl's a trooper, but-"

Maya bopped him on the top of his head with an indignant fist, and an equally indignant pout. "That's why I told you to go back there and help them, dummy! Why are you still here?"

"Because I'm here to protect you, you bully," the veteran attorney chuckled, eyes aglow with affection. "I just wish I could be in two places at once. I'm not leaving you or Athena behind, but at the same time…ah. Apollo taking a case right now? Definitely something I did not want to happen. Especially a case of this magnitude. I mean, he's defending someone he's cared about, for a very long time."

Maya took up a familiar pose, burying her chin in the palm of her hand, and tilting her head. "Oh. Like how you've 'cared' about your 'friend' Prosecutor Edgeworth for a billion years?"

"No, not exactly. Apollo's a little smarter than I am," Phoenix chuckled once more, the sound regretful and sad. "That's Chief Prosecutor now, by the way, but more on that later. We've got to get back to the cases at hand here."

Still inside Maya's sacred chambers, he, Athena and the lady herself were pondering over a case that had been laid out on their table. In a short while, they managed to gather a few bits of information: Maya's assailants were those looking to assassinate her, wanting to put an end to the latest heir of Kurain traditions. Horrifying but nothing that surprised either Phoenix or Athena-Kurain had never gone without its enemies. And Maya being Maya, of course people would find her an easy target. Determining how to swat them away, while protecting Maya, was one thing. But her rescuer? A man with lavender scented hair? That was another case altogether.

Athena, shortly after Apollo and Trucy's call, had bolted out of the chambers on a hunt for information. She had barely returned, breathless, eyes aglow with the magic of discovery and hope. "No one knows too much about that guy," the young woman said, voice alive with regret and frustration. Her face soon lit up, giving her a firefly's glow. "I was able to pick a few bits up, though. Apparently he's the new guy in town, Maya. A monk!"

With Maya slack-jawed, Phoenix presented a question. "What do you mean, Thena? He belongs to the village of Kurain?" he asked in alarm, with Blackquill's princess nodding in response.

"Sure does."

"Why don't I know about him? I've never seen him until today!"

"You know how it is sometimes," Athena comforted her, patting her on the back. "These big shots come out of left field and think it's okay to have everyone kiss their feet, just because they're so big and bad. This particular pretty boy must have just started his new gig as the village's monk today. Don't know too much else, other than he apparently struts his stuff while talking about 'salvation' and 'miracles'. Works for the Oracle of Kurain. Think he's leaving though, for a while. Heard he was just assigned to some case."

Maya, still slack-jawed and wide-eyed, spoke next. "Case? He's a monk and an attorney?"

"Nein," Athena answered, counting the facts she had collected on her fingers. "Caught a prosecutor's badge. Make that monk and prosecutor."

Phoenix, suddenly feeling light-headed, frantically asked another question. "Did you catch any details, any details at all, on the case he's been assigned to?"

"Not much," a frowning Athena replied, slumping in her chair. "All anyone could tell me was he's on his way to save some dark soul from the pit of damnation. From what I was able to pick up, it doesn't sound like he's too fond of attorneys. Does everything he can to squash 'em flat, because he's out to give them and their clients 'salvation'. Nick, please tell me why you've gone as white as a ghost."

Maya laid a hand on Phoenix's back. "Don't tell me-Nick, you don't think he could be-"

Someone crashed through the front door of Maya's chambers and fell onto the floor with a thud, compelling the three of them to rise onto their feet. It was a small thing, someone gravely frightened, voice shrill with fear.

"Lady Maya, Lady Maya, please, please help! It's horrible! Please! Please come with me!"


	11. Reasoning Without Eyes

Cutting off Clopin pre-shriek, a stone-faced Apollo took the vial from the detective's hands. "Could've been planted," he said, firm, unwavering, not only speaking to those around him but to himself as well. "It may not have been the victim, but any one of the band members could have-"

"That look on your face isn't too convincing, Tiger."

Ashen but even more determined to help her brother, in any way she could, Trucy stepped in. "So what, someone drugged Mr Cantanta, turned out the lights, had him killed onstage and framed Klavier? But why the drug? Why use it at all?"

"To keep the guy totally in the dark, kitten."

Apollo spoke right after the detective, his words immediate, laced in dark tension.

"Or to keep Prosecutor Gavin in the dark."

* * *

 _This time, on The Heart of a Turnabout:_

 _The investigation continues! Apollo and his team dive deeper into a world of mystery, where blood and music mix! A deadly drug seems to have been planted on Prosecutor Gavin. Will it do in the team's client? Will Klavier go down as Alto Cantanta's murderer? Will Apollo turn down an opportunity to find out the truth?!_

 _All that more, in this episode of 'The Heart of a Turnabout'!_

* * *

" _Herr Forehead? What dreamland did you fly off to, liebchen? Allow me to accompany you so we can ride the stars together."_

 _An invincible porcupine sent shivers through Apollo's spine. In a whirl he turned on Klavier, eyes on fire with alarm-and something Trucy easily pegged as 'embarrassment'. "I'm not in any dreamland, Prosecutor," the young attorney snapped, hands balled into trembling fists. Cheeks as red as a sunset. "I'm trying to concentrate on the crime scene! You would do well to follow my example!"_

 _Klavier leaned in towards Apollo with his hands on his hips, wearing a smile fashioned from sunshine. "We've got all the time in the world to concentrate on the crime scene, Herr Forehead. What I really want to concentrate on is YOU."_

"Apollo? Come back to us, Apollo, please!"

Apollo's eyes, radiant with a will of iron, turned to Trucy. Still holding the vial of Elysium in the palm of his hand, he scanned the faces of those around him-the young woman he had come to love like a sister, the detective Atticus and a Kit Kat Lounge staff member. In what seemed to be no more than a few seconds, the universe had been turned inside out-and Apollo was at the center of the chaos, spinning, head whirling, lost in a fog that seemed to be untouchable. But visualizing a certain face, seeing a certain smile and hearing that gentle, warm voice made it possible. It made moving mountains and reshaping the universe possible.

 _There's no way. No way in Hell I'm failing anyone else. I failed Athena. I failed Clay. My brother. I am NOT failing Prosecutor Gavin. I'll die before failing him!_

He gripped the vial of Elysium as though it were an anchor, the only thing keeping him from soaring out to sea. With eyes made of iron, fury, hatred, he stared at it. Willed it to shatter. "The prosecution could easily use this against us," he snarled. His eyes flashed with fire that caused the detective's heart to skip a beat. The fire within every word caused the young magician to smile. Clasping her hands over her heart, she gazed at the one she had come to love like a brother with tears of joy.

 _It's about time! I was so worried about Big Baby Brother keeping everything inside!_

"This could be the very thing that causes Prosecutor Gavin's downfall. But I won't allow it! Evidence isn't everything in court, and I'll prove it!"

'Evidence isn't everything in court'. Hm. Apollo couldn't help but chuckle. The fires of determination were dampened by a few memories, and the amusement that came with them. But his burning spirit remained strong, never wavering even for a second. "We've still got a lot of puzzle pieces to find," the attorney told his team. "Like what went wrong with the lights. How Prosecutor Gavin could have possibly killed the victim, Alto Cantanta, when all band members were on stage! Someone else could have easily taken this drug and had it planted on our client. It doesn't end here!"

In a heartbeat, Apollo darted towards the stage area. Swept into her brother's fire, Trucy followed suit. Detective Atticus and Clopin weren't too far behind, their hearts caught up in the whirlpool as well. The three of them watched as Apollo darted about the stage, examining each instrument, each nook and cranny, as though revealing the truth in a few seconds would determine the fate of the universe. He then rooted himself where a certain prosecutor once stood. "The victim's cause of death was suffocation and stab wounds, right?" he asked the group, hands still balled into fists.

All of them nodded immediately. Detective Atticus stepped forward, leaving Trucy and Clopin with eyes made of stars. "Four stab wounds in the chest, and the guy was strangled with the wire of his own guitar," the gentleman recapped, arms folded, nodding. "Autopsy's a work in progress, kid, but we're gettin' there."

Trucy looked at Atticus, eyes glittering with hope, excitement, tension. "Wait, you mean the real killer could have drugged the victim, then planted the vial in Klavier's bag?"

"Abso-freakin-lutely, sugar plum," the detective replied. "But another thing we've got to figure out is time. How could the real guy behind all of this do the deed, plant the drug and run off like a thief in the night?"

"Magic, maybe? Yup yup?"

"Magic, right, something Prosecutor Gavin knows nothing about," Apollo hummed, rubbing his bracelet. "He IS made of magic," he added, bringing an even brighter smile to Trucy's face. "but that's another story. Our culprit must've been pretty fast to accomplish all of those tasks in such a stunning amount of time."

Atticus pointed at Apollo with a grin. "I see what you're getting at, grasshopper. Our guy could've had someone working behind the scenes."

"Which explains why the victim ended up on stage. Dead."

"Apollo-"

Apollo kept his eyes averted from Trucy, still rubbing his bracelet. "There's no way our client could have shut off the lights, strangled and stabbed our culprit all at once. Plus, we're still missing a bonafide motive."

Trucy's voice became a whimper, fearful and soft. "Apollo…maybe…maybe it's time we talk to our client. Ask him about what happened!"

Silence hit the stage area like an anvil. The attorney lowered his head, still clutching the vial of Elysium, eyes shut against the world and all of its noise. Trucy, hands folded in prayer formation, waited for her brother's response with bated breath. Up until just a few seconds ago, even thinking about Klavier was excruciating for Apollo. Talking to him would definitely be no walk in the park. Would he even go through with the idea? With the idea of talking to his client?

"Trucy, you're right. I think it's time to get the facts from our client."

Trucy lit up like a Christmas tree, glowing with relief, happiness-

"I'll continue investigating with Detective Atticus, Clopin and the rest of the staff. Sis, visit our client for me and gather whatever information you can. Report back to me whenever you're all done. Anything you find out will help us, so give it your best, like a true Gramarye!"

Trucy fell to her knees with a long sigh.

The enthusiasm was there, but there wasn't much else.


	12. A Magician's Thousand Miracles

_"Trucy, you're right. I think it's time to get the facts from our client."_

 _Trucy lit up like a Christmas tree, glowing with relief, happiness-_

 _"I'll continue investigating with Detective Atticus, Clopin and the rest of the staff. Sis, visit our client for me and gather whatever information you can. Report back to me whenever you're all done. Anything you find out will help us, so give it your best, like a true Gramarye!"_

 _Trucy fell to her knees with a long sigh._

* * *

 _This time, on 'The Heart of a Turnabout':_

 _Apollo has asked Trucy to visit his newest client! With a heavy heart, Trucy agrees to Apollo's wishes-but what truth will she find in Prosecutor Gavin's cell? All of that and more, next!_

* * *

 _My name's Trucy Wright! I help Daddy, Sis and Big Baby Brother at the Wright Anything Agency. I'm also a magician! I know all sorts of tricks, and like any other Gramarye, I hit the stage with spirit, speed and ferocity!_

 _I don't know any magic tricks to make any of this better, though. No matter how much I want to help Polly and Klavier, there's nothing I can pull out of my magic panties that'll help anything._

 _It hurts, feeling like a pebble when your family's being swept out to sea. I can't even believe any of this is happening. Prosecutor Gavin's been arrested for murder when he's the kindest, sweetest guy I know. The sweetest human being ever! Who could have accused him of doing such a horrible crime? Who could have accused him of any crime? It's like I'm helping Polly defend a butterfly in court, just for spreading her wings!_

 _Daddy believes I can take care of things while he's gone. Right before he left with Sis, I promised him I would. I promised him Polly would be left in good hands. I think I've broken that promise, though. Polly's hurting and there's nothing I can do to help him. Nothing I can do to reach him. Klavier's hurting too. I haven't seen him yet, but I know he is. I just know it. That's why I'm afraid of seeing him. I'm afraid of seeing that wonderful, kind human with a broken heart._

 _That's why Polly doesn't want to see him either. He's afraid of what will happen if he sees Klavier locked up in a dungeon._

 _So if there's nothing else I can do, no other way for me to help my brother, the least I can do is visit Klavier. Find out what really happened! Find out any way to put an end to this nightmare!_

 _My name's Trucy Wright. I'm a magician and an attorney's assistant. I'm also someone that will fight for her family, no matter what!_

* * *

She traveled down the halls of the detention center, unaccustomed to being alone after spending several hours in the company of her brother and Detective Atticus. No longer was she a part of the Kit Kat Lounge's clamor-in its place was the deafening chatter of the detention center, cold and cruel, reminding her of how she stood at the edge of the universe with her brother. Reminding her of how even the slightest step in the wrong direction could result in immediate tragedy.

Officer Meekins was leading her. For what felt like the first time in ages, she was alone, on her way to see a client. Not just any client, though. It was someone she considered a friend, someone truly precious. Sacred. Worth far more than any amount of treasure. Just thinking of how the accusations were hurting him had tears burning her eyes. Her friend had already been through so much, and there they all were, standing on universe's edge. That very same friend facing murder charges.

Officer Mike Meekins stopped at the side of a cell, then announced the end of their journey with a hearty blow to his megaphone. Trucy couldn't help but give off a bittersweet smile, reminded of a certain detective and the whistle around his neck. "Here we are, ma'am," the officer declared, indicating the cell with a flashy flourish of the hands.

"You'll find the culprit in here, ma'am! Take your time with the investigation, ma'am, and let me know if you need anything!"

He gave her a gentle slap on the back, unlocked the cell and soon vanished. Trucy stood stock still, feeling as though she had been left in an icy cold void. A void she became familiar with, just a short while ago, having lost her first world to a nightmare she had no way of stopping. Apollo's last smile to her flashed in her mind's eye, reminding her of how he had hidden himself from the man she was about to see. Remembering she was on a quest for her brother, she took a deep breath with her hands over her heart, and stepped inside.

The second she stepped inside, though, she shut her eyes. Even darker, greater cold settled into her body with a violent thrust. She couldn't look at their client. She couldn't. She-

-had to fight. Promised herself she'd fight for the ones she loved.

Trucy opened her eyes, lifted her head and immediately felt as though she had been thrown off the universe's edge. There was a bundle in the corner of the cell, huddled into a ball. Familiar purple coat and all.

Her stomach threatened to violently rip itself from her insides and lunge out of her mouth. It was none other than Klavier, turned into a ball. Silent. Unmoving. Frightened. And in the blink of an eye, even colder frost slammed into her. A white-hot yet agonizingly cold wave swept over her, covering her from head to toe. Her voice was small, fearful.

"Klavier?"

Time crawled. Slowly he rose his head, an ephemeral glow of hope filling them but leaving just as quickly as it came. Sadness, overwhelming grief that incinerated her insides, flooded them. Eyes that were normally so gentle, so happy.

She stepped towards him, hands still clutching her heart. She walked towards the creature that could be broken at any second, if she even thought of drawing breath in the wrong direction. The sadness in his eyes burned straight through her, reminding her of the day she felt alone. Lost. Uncertain of anything the world had to offer.

Arrows struck her without mercy. _He thought Polly would be with me. We're always together. And I can't imagine how badly he wants to see Apollo._

She tried to smile. Tried to keep up a happy, sunny smile. "It's just me, Klavier," she told her friend gently, eyes burning all the while. Insides burning, doused in pain. "Just me. Polly's at the Kit Kat Lounge investigating. With a lot of help too!"

The mere mention of the name 'Polly' sent a barrage of tears to Klavier's eyes. And it was at that moment something kicked into high gear for Trucy. A flame was lit in the recesses of her heart, mind and body. "We're getting to the bottom of things," she assured him, her voice adopting a new, iron-clad glow of determination. "We've already found a lot of clues that'll help us prove your innocence! We just need your help, Klavier."

She softened her voice considerably, not at all wanting to worsen his pain. "Can you tell me what happened? What really happened that night at the Kit Kat Lounge?"

Eyes overflowing with sadness, confusion and fear, Klavier shook his head. The decision to do so alarmed Trucy, but then he lifted his head and patted his throat. It didn't take even a second for her to realize what had happened. "You can't?" the young magician asked him, her voice even softer than morning's wind. Anger gave her a violent stab to the heart.

"Your voice. Your voice is gone, isn't it?"

Feeling even smaller than a pebble in time's ocean, Klavier nodded. He then bowed his head, resigning himself to another wave of tears. In no more than a minute, though, Trucy rebounded. All of her tears gone, she replaced her sadness with bravery. The drive to end the nightmare. Memories of the prosecutor's warm, vibrant smile. "Eyes on me, please," she sang, revealing her one-of-a-kind magic panties. Klavier stiffened, recognizing the line as the opening to her magic show. What exactly was she planning to do?

Phoenix Wright's daughter put on her biggest, brightest smile. "Thank you for being here, good sir! In return for your support, I will put on the greatest show you've ever seen! Prepare to be dazzled, Gramarye style! One, two, three!"

With every number she tapped her wand against her panties. From them she pulled a bouquet of red roses. She handed the bouquet to the blushing, tearful prosecutor, then continued with the show. "Prepare to enter the unknown," she murmured in mock fear. "For it is I, Trucy Gramarye-Wright, that will lead you into the unknown! I will need YOUR help, though. You, and ONLY you, can lead me to the light of truth! Can you do it, sir?"

"Great," she sang a second later, bopping a confused yet thoroughly engaged Klavier on the nose. She giggled, eyes alive with magic.

 _What I'm doing is already working! Klavier's already feeling a little better! I just have to do my best!_

As she continued her show, her face became alive with expressions that suited her words. Her tone strengthened the environment, transporting her lone audience member into an entirely different world. "For our first trip into the unknown, we must solve the mysteries of a dark and stormy night. Were you at all present in the storm brewing behind the stage?" she asked, whipping up tiny storm clouds with her magic wand. Klavier nodded, clutching the bouquet of roses to his chest.

"Do you remember anything about the storm?"

The prosecutor shook his head. Before sadness could overwhelm him again, Trucy continued, the fire even greater in her heart. _All right. We're making progress! Klavier doesn't remember anything that happened, which means HE must've been drugged by one of the guys!_

With her wand, she turned the clouds into balls of starlight. "When the stage was set, was it just you and your guitar? Were you carrying anything else into the unknown?"

Klavier shook his head vehemently, sending an even greater smile across her face. _No weapon! There wasn't one planted on him or his bag, either!_

"Were you in the shadows before the lights went on?"

Another passionate shake of the head. Forgetting the tone of the show for a moment, Trucy shrieked with glee. "So you were on stage the whole time? Awesomeness," the young woman cheered, then gave another shout of glee. She clasped a hand over mouth and was about to apologize, but then she saw the smile on Klavier's face. It was frail, but a smile nonetheless.

 _Great! All I've got to do is keep going!_

But then sadness swept over him again. Klavier shook his head just as passionately as before, sending arrows of worry into the young woman's heart. "So you were in the shadows?" she asked softly, not at all revealing her alarm.

 _Okay. Time to take another route._

With her wand, she created pools of fog. "Your memories are enshrouded in the fog of the unknown, good sir. Can you tell me how that happened? How your eyes were cast into the cloudy darkness?"

He wavered between shaking his head and nodding for a moment, then chose the latter.

Trucy's voice became much softer. It became the voice of a much older, wiser woman. "Stay with me, sir. I'll lead you out of this nightmare. Don't be afraid, now. It'll be all right. I just need you to clear the storm with me. Did you at any point become a part of the storm? Was your heart at all unsettled by the darkness brewing within the lounge?"

The prosecutor nodded instantly, hugging the roses.

 _So he did argue with Alto Cantanta. I can definitely imagine it, Klavier being such a perfectionist and egging him on. Especially with talking about how the other band members were bullies to Klavier._

Trucy used her wand to create arrows of light that pierced the fog. "There were others exploring the darkness with you, sir. Did they hurt you? Did they try to send you deeper into that darkness?"

More nods.

"What about the one that disappeared into the darkness, sir? Did he want to cast you deeper into the darkness?"

Even more nods, but then something else happened. Klavier's eyes became alive with alarm. So did his body movements. Abandoning the tone of the show for a moment, Trucy watched as he tried to speak but couldn't, then patted his heart. "What is it?" she asked, heart racing at the speed of light. "What are you trying to tell me, Klavier? Calm down, it's okay, just take it one step at a time."

Frustration cast itself onto his face, childlike and adorable despite how frail he had become. She giggled at the familiar look and began to glow over how he was able to express something other than sadness. With an all-too familiar pout, he used hand movements to express singing. "Singing, you're singing," Trucy said excitedly, eyes twinkling. He then did something she knew just as well as she knew her name-the air guitar. Something he did quite often, being a part of-

"The Gavineers! Klavier, was Alto Cantanta a part of the Gavineers?! Maybe one of your backstage members?!"

Klavier shook his head with a gentle frown. He then formed a heart with his hands. Afterwards, it was back to the air guitar. Love and the air guitar. She had to put two and two together. "Was he a fan of the Gavineers?" Trucy asked, and immediately got the expression she wanted.

"Did he know one of the band members?"

The prosecutor nodded with a smile that reminded her of the first Christmas tree she lit with Daddy. "Let me take a shot in the dark at this," Trucy went on, tapping her chin with her wand. "Did he know ?"

Klavier's nodding lifted a world off her shoulders. "Did any of Mr Cantanta's friends personally know the Gavineers? Daryan or any of the other members?"

The number 'two' went up. So a grand total of three Twilights that knew Klavier's old band.

Astounding progress.

"But then…why…if they were all against you, why would they sacrifice one of their own? Were they hot in the pursuit of vengeance, even at the cost of one of their own friends?"

The look in her friend's eyes set off even more lights on her chosen path. Quickly she took an assessment of the puzzle pieces she had gathered. Vengeance was a card on the table. No weapons were planted on Klavier's person or even in his bag. His memory was cloudy, which could easily be used to end the case in the worst way imaginable, but was a friend of Daryan Crescend's. There were a total of three band mates that knew of the Gavineers, all of them possibly hating Klavier and wanting revenge against him for what had happened to the band. He may or may not have been behind the stage to commit the murder. And who turned off the lights? Who went through the trouble of stabbing him, then strangling him?

Trucy drew a heart of light with her wand, then blew it out at Klavier. "You're doing great, Klavier," she told him, eyes ablaze with warmth he had forgotten. "Keep it up! We can do this! Together we'll uncover the truth, just you wait! Did any of the other band members fight with ? Did they not like him?"

His eyes rose to the ceiling for a moment, immersed in thought. He then nodded with a bittersweet smile.

Trucy scowled. "What kind of band was that, anyway? Sounds like it was a huge mess!"

If his voice hadn't been stolen, Klavier would've laughed. Her heart swelled over the look on her friend's face. She decided to keep the light tone going, putting on an expression of mock anger. "Why did you even agree to play with them? You didn't need them, you know. You could've put on your own show! In People Park, or in the middle of traffic, and it would've been a smash hit! You know what? Maybe you deserve this! You were stupid enough to think you needed their help and you never did! That's your crime, Prosecutor Gavin. You're guilty of stupidity! Stupidity to the tenth degree!"

A cauldron of emotions rose in eyes that had been stained with so much tears. There was happiness, immeasurable gratitude, longing for someone he wanted to see more than he needed to breathe. Sadness. But there was also a light. A gentle yet strong light that read:

'Please set me free. I know you can do it.'


	13. A New Ally, Cocoa and Confessions

Trucy scowled. "What kind of band was that, anyway? Sounds like it was a huge mess!"

If his voice hadn't been stolen, Klavier would've laughed. Her heart swelled over the look on her friend's face. She decided to keep the light tone going, putting on an expression of mock anger. "Why did you even agree to play with them? You didn't need them, you know. You could've put on your own show! In People Park, or in the middle of traffic, and it would've been a smash hit! You know what? Maybe you deserve this! You were stupid enough to think you needed their help and you never did! That's your crime, Prosecutor Gavin. You're guilty of stupidity! Stupidity to the tenth degree!"

A cauldron of emotions rose in eyes that had been stained with so much tears. There was happiness, immeasurable gratitude, longing for someone he wanted to see more than he needed to breathe. Sadness. But there was also a light. A gentle yet strong light that read:

'Please set me free. I know you can do it.'

* * *

 _This time, on 'The Heart of a Turnabout'!_

 _Apollo and his team review their progress in a local café, getting some much needed rest! What new clues will rise from their investigation? And another member joins Apollo's team! Who is the new ally? What earth-shattering decisions will Apollo make next? All that and more, next on 'The Heart of a Turnabout!'_

* * *

"So. Our darling little client lost his voice, huh? Ain't this precious?"

Apollo echoed Atticus' sentiments. Sitting inside Cocoa Café, a softly-colored sanctuary heavily scented with the sweetness of hot chocolate and coffee, did nothing to soothe burning wounds.

He and his team made haste for the nearby café, in dire need of rest as it was very early in the morning. The investigation had kept them so deep into the waters of mystery, all three of them had lost track of time. It was Atticus' idea to hit up the new café in town, as the soft brown décor and rich scents of sweet delights were elixirs to throngs of fans. Elixirs were certainly of high interest, after the discoveries the team collided with. The young magician's story, although encouraging in many ways, left a bitter taste in Apollo's mouth. Klavier without his voice? Not only would his client be unable to defend himself, but-

"Apparently Klavier's been so affected by the trauma of the accusations, he lost his voice," the attorney snarled, not only speaking to those around him, but to himself as well. Eyes flashed with the most bitter anger, while fists were curled up in tight balls of wrath. Meanwhile, Trucy beamed at the one she loved like a brother, happy to hear Apollo use the name 'Klavier' inside of 'my client' or 'Prosecutor Gavin'.

"Not to mention everything ELSE going on with my client."

"I take it your 'client' has a rich backstory," the detective beamed, winking at the attorney's sister. While one of the café's hostesses placed three cups of hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream, onto the table, Apollo turned to Atticus with eyes of steel. "You don't know the half of it, Detective," he growled, not directing his anger at their friend but at a certain backstory. One filled with far too much grief, loss. Destruction of self.

"It's as if my client's walking around with a curse on his shoulders. I could spend the next eight hours telling you how much Prosecutor Gavin has been through, and you wouldn't be in for a fairy tale."

Atticus blew on his beloved little whistle, a charm that glistened with a golden flicker. "Sure does mean a lot to you, this prosecutor. Doesn't he?"

Trucy took the baton, after taking a quick sip of her cocoa. "Big baby bro's in love with him," the young magician grinned. She earned a flash of shock from Apollo, but the attorney did nothing to deny her testimony. She continued, but as she went on, the urgency in her tone grew. "Has been ever since we met him! And Klavier's a good guy. The sweetest person on Earth!" She slammed a fist onto the table, alarming both men.

"That's why we're gonna win this case. We have to! Whoever's behind this can't get away with what they've done!"

Apollo took a gulp of his hot chocolate, not all caring about it being pretty hot. "Let's go over our progress before you two off to bed," the attorney said, folding his hands. Trucy and Atticus exchanged worried glances, wondering about the train of thought riding through their friend's mind. Atticus was the one to take the baton next, eyes burrowing deeper into concern.

"You're not catchin' a few z's, kid?"

"I will, but not until I'm satisfied with the progress I've made," Apollo retaliated, putting too much emphasis on 'I' and 'I'm'. Trucy sighed, slumping over with eyes made of worry. Apparently, her brother planned on sending his two teammates off to bed while he went on with the investigation. Just as he conducted his own investigation after-

After the angel made of stars disappeared.

"Now. Our one-and-only Child of Magic paid a visit to the client, but discovered that our client will be unable to speak for himself upon the stand. That alone means our efforts to solve this will have to be doubled, even with Trucy being able to communicate with him. The jury can and will use the loss of our client's voice against him, as a show of guilt. The surveillance footage of the concert is the force's custody right now, but we'll have access to it in a matter of hours. Once we're able to grab a hold of the surveillance, we'll be able to find out what happened with the stage lights, and even more clues to aid us in proving our client's innocence."

The air between the three of them suddenly became not only sweet, but heavy. Detective Atticus folded his hands on top of the table and leaned towards Apollo, eyes glistening with the flame of tension. "Here's where things get a little sticky, prodigy," the detective told him. "Without you even asking, I'm gonna tell you that I'm staying on this case with you. You've got my full support. Always been a big Phoenix Wright fan, but an even bigger fan of yours. Always been a fan of the underdogs. But here's what'cha really need to know," he stated, blew on his tiny whistle, then continued.

"I'm on your side because I believe in the client, just as much as you two do."

"You know Klavier?" Trucy asked, hand clasped over her mouth. Atticus nodded her way with a gentleman's smile. "Like I said, young cricket, always been a fan of the underdogs," the detective replied, then returned his attention to Apollo.

"There's plenty of time for me to write my memoir later. For now, let's consider our options. We're at a fork in the road, grasshopper. You can either head down to the station to examine the surveillance footage, investigate the witnesses, or meet with your client. I know you're not lookin' forward to the latter, but at some point in time it's gonna hafta be done."

"Truth be told, Detective, I'm not looking forward to option number two, either," Apollo snarled, primal fury blazing through every breath. Trucy shuddered, excitement lighting up her face like a firework. She hadn't ever seen Apollo come to life with such emotion, not even in the wake of a certain angel's death.

"If I talk any of the band members, I'll be the one going on trial and there won't be any one left to defend Klavier."

"You'll be on trial? For what?" Atticus asked, fanboy-side out in full force, already aware of the answer. Apollo looked at him with eyes made of wrath, determination. Devotion.

"For murder, of course. What else?"

The young magician slammed her fists onto their table top, glowing with anticipation. "Here's an idea! Uncle Atticus and I will visit the witnesses. We'll be the ones to take care of the investigation on that end. And from there, we'll take a look at the surveillance footage. We'll be down at the station anyway! And Apollo, you should visit our client!"

"Bravo, little cricket," Atticus chirped, after giving a victory blow to his whistle. "Exactly where I was about to steer all of this. No point in having a defense attorney if the attorney never makes his presence known."

"Right," Apollo said, after gulping down the rest of his (still very) hot chocolate. "And there's something Mr Wright told me, back when I first joined the agency. 'Defense attorneys are searchlights, even in the greatest darkness'. I wanted to put off visiting Klavier until the very end, but-"

"Hey! Hey, Shortstack!"

Apollo almost fell out of his chair upon hearing that voice. Trucy, immediately recognizing it, leapt out of her chair. Atticus eyed her with the greatest curiosity, then turned to see what the fuss was all about it. The star of the show appeared to be a young man, one with a pretty crazy hair style and fiery eyes. It was none other than-

"Wocky! Oh my gosh, look Polly! Wocky's here!"

"I noticed, sis," the attorney groaned, sighed, then turned to their visitor. "Always a pleasure to see you, Wocky," Apollo greeted the other, shaking the other young man's hand. "But I'm afraid we're in the middle of something right now."

Wocky, without the slightest hesitation, plopped himself in the seat across from the detective. "Yeah, already figured that out, bro. It's all over the news, ya heard?"

Trucy anxiously held up a hand, in the hopes of getting the young Kitaki to stop, but to no avail. "Rock Star Prosecutor Charged with Murder," Wocky recited, leaning towards Apollo with eyes made of wildfire. "Phoenix Wright's prodigy on the case! Ain't just them headlines, though. Th' guy's bein' slammed like I dunno what! Everybody's sayin' th' guy did it, and you ain't got a snowball's chance in Hell of provin' otherwise!"

If Apollo had been made of fire, the entire planet would've burned down in a milli-second, right then and there. At least there wouldn't have been any case to worry about. But noticing his friend's fire, Atticus took the baton quickly, gently. "I've always loved snowball fights," the detective grinned, after giving another blow to his whistle. The Referee's Blow. "They can be pretty challenging. Invigorating, even. Knocked a few teeth out over one once. You'd be surprised over how intense snowball fights can get, greenhorn."

"Greenhorn?! Why I oughta-"

"You don't think he did it, do you, Wocky?" Trucy asked, cutting through the potential explosion, taking her trembling brother's arm before he himself exploded. Her friend turned to her with a bright smile made of promise.

"Course I don't! How could a cat like that be guilty of takin' somebody out?! It ain't right, I tell ya!"

"So you've met the client before?" Atticus asked gently, after a warm chuckle. Wocky nodded passionately.

"Just for a few minutes," Wocky nodded, completely bypassing a trial starring a certain rock god prosecutor. Apollo couldn't help but throw a smile his old friend's way.

"Met th' guy in People Park once. Just last week! He looked pretty down so I thought I'd chat with 'im a bit. We talked about his band, of course, 'n some other stuff too. There's no way I'm gonna believe a cat like that snuffed th' guy! I've met some skanky creeps before, and he ain't on that list! That's why I'm happy to have found you guys. I was hopin' I'd run into ya because I'm ready t' help ya out!"

All eyes fell on Apollo, who had become as quiet as stone. The dice were in his hands, ready to be rolled without anyone having a clear glimpse of the future. The soft, serene murmur of the Cocoa Café fell away as all concentrated on the young attorney, wondering where they'd be led next. He remained silent for another minute more, then spoke to his team.

"Right. Wocky, you couldn't have had better timing. I'm going to ask the band a few questions, and I'll need you by my side."

Trucy almost fell out of her chair that time. Atticus echoed her shock, giving a harsh blow to his whistle. "Wait a minute, hold on, grasshopper! Aren't you supposed to be visiting the client? Cricket and I are supposed to-"

"I know, Detective, I know, but I was only going along with that out of fear. I'll visit our client later, I promise. But for now, answers need to be found. And I'll need Wocky to keep me from committing murder. I'd like you two to review the surveillance footage for me."

"But who's-"

"No one, sis, not right now. Not yet," Apollo cut through Trucy's protest, his voice a warm breeze. "You've already visited Prosecutor Gavin. I'll need you two to look over the footage for me, and…I know Klavier's expecting me. I don't want the two of you to show up without me. I don't want or need to let anyone else down. Now if you'll excuse me."

Without another word, ignoring Wocky's protest, Apollo left the table and headed towards the exit, reaching for his phone. Wocky turned to Trucy with eyes made of alarm, and got the answer he desperately needed. Trucy, unfortunately, wasn't at all cheerful.

The young woman had tears in her eyes. "He's going outside to call Daddy."


	14. Father, Son and Sister at the Turnabout

_"I'll visit our client later, I promise. But for now, answers need to be found. And I'll need Wocky to keep me from committing murder. I'd like you two to review the surveillance footage for me."_

 _"But who's-"_

 _"No one, sis, not right now. Not yet," Apollo cut through Trucy's protest, his voice a warm breeze. "You've already visited Prosecutor Gavin. I'll need you two to look over the footage for me, and…I know Klavier's expecting me. I don't want the two of you to show up without me. I don't want or need to let anyone else down. Now if you'll excuse me."_

 _Without another word, ignoring Wocky's protest, Apollo left the table and headed towards the exit, reaching for his phone. Wocky turned to Trucy with eyes made of alarm, and got the answer he desperately needed. Trucy, unfortunately, wasn't at all cheerful._

 _The young woman had tears in her eyes. "He's going outside to call Daddy."_

* * *

Blanketed in dawn's soft embers, the city appeared to him in a brand new light. It all seemed so quiet, so calm, the world encased in an embrace of unborn morning. Very few people were out and about, strolling through the morning's silence either on their way to work or home, back to their families. Friends. Loved ones. Quite a few pieces of Apollo's heart were missing, in one way or another, leaving him with knives driven into the pit of his stomach. Thoughts of his client smothered his eyes in atroquinine, for Apollo couldn't find Klavier at his house. Wearing that same old, gentle, beautiful smile. Klavier was instead in chains, locked away from the world and its morning calm.

The breeze was gentle and fragrant, damp with the promise of rain. It was several feet from the Cocoa Café Apollo gazed into the sleeping sky, pondering over the rain. Hoping it would wash away everything-his fear, the overwhelming loneliness, the minutes leading up to Klavier's imprisonment. The minutes before a certain star angel's death. For the first time in what must've been a lifetime, a physically painful urge to pour his own rain down struck him. No time for tears, though.

 _At least not without Mr Wright on the phone. Hopefully he'll answer. Or at least give me Athena._

Luckily, Apollo's call was answered in a matter of moments. And it was none other than his mentor on the line. Just as frantic as always.

"Apollo! We were just about to give you a ring. What is it, what's going on? Is everything all right? How are you?"

Apollo gave a little chuckle. "You're not going to ask about Trucy?"

Nick's response was lightning-quick. Firm. Confident. "Don't need to. She's strong, my baby girl. And whenever something's amiss with her, I feel it in my bones. You, on the other hand, are an entirely different matter altogether."

"Yeah, I know I am."

Frantic Poppa Nick came right back into the scene, not at all comfortable with how tired the younger attorney sounded. "Apollo, what's happening? Is everything all right? Did you need my help with something? Because if you do I'll-"

"How's it going down there, with Miss Fey?"

"Fine, fine, she's safe," Nick replied breathlessly, voice a blend of relief and worry. "We're working on our own case down here, dealing with something pretty big. Seems to be a crusade against attorneys in this neck of the woods. We're investigating the murder of an attorney we just discovered here, right in Kurain Village. Athena and I are still digging into the mystery, but there's still a lot of work that needs to be done. Apollo, what's-"

"Can I ask you something?"

Even less thrilled with where the conversation was going, completely unaccustomed to Apollo speaking in such soft tones, Nick took a moment to answer. "Shoot."

"Why did you let me in? Into the agency?"

There was a heavy pause between them, one overflowing with the deepest thoughts and emotions. Inner reflection. Finding Apollo's fragile tone completely unfamiliar, Nick felt as if he had been thrown out of orbit. Plus, it had been a tone he had been desperately wanting to pull from Apollo, upon the death of an angel he still missed with unbearable pangs. The younger attorney, faced with the possibility of losing someone else he loved, was not only tired but scared. Revealing himself for the very first time.

 _Time to put my game face on._

"Do you really need to ask, Apollo? I took in you because I knew what you were going to become-an incredible defense attorney, and an incredible man. I took in you because I would've been an idiot not to. If I hadn't…I would've missed out on meeting a brilliant attorney. Would've missed out on making a very close friend. Would've been one of the worst decisions of my life."

Apollo was silent for a moment, most likely thinking over the journey they shared. The moments in time that almost severed them forever. Nick, despite being in a world falling apart at its seams, waited. Waited for the younger attorney to find his voice again, inwardly glowing with joy because Apollo being something other than cynical, calm Apollo was something he had been longing for. "Can I ask you something else?" the attorney on the other end of Nick's line asked. Phoenix Wright, at that very moment, began to glow very much like the phoenix itself.

"Sure you can. Ask me anything you want, Apollo."

"What was it like, when Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth was arrested?"

"…Apollo, we've been over this already. We don't talk about the Chief Prosecutor. It's complicated."

"I know, but you must've felt something, right? Being in love with him your whole life…wasn't it scary, seeing him behind bars like that? Knowing he was charged with murder?"

Nick sighed, a sign of heavy sadness. "…yeah. It was. It was frightening. I didn't think about it at the time, or throughout the trial, but now that you've asked…I was scared. Worried about him. A lot. It's…it's the same with you and Prosecutor Gavin, isn't it, Apollo?"

Apollo was silent for far too long. "What is it, Polly?" the older attorney asked, his voice much softer. "What's on your mind?"

"…I'm…I'm not sure if I can see him. I'm…if I do, I'll…I don't know. I won't…I don't think I'll be able to-"

Nick's answer was instant. Firm yet loving. Qualities that always kicked in whenever his kids were in trouble. Hearing Apollo on the verge of tears kicked every vulnerable spot on his heart raw, as Trucy and Athena were usually the ones on the receiving end of his fatherly tones. "You will," the veteran attorney cut in. "You will. You'll visit your client and the answers will come. You're much stronger than you give yourself credit for, Apollo. Deny it all you want, but I've seen you. I've known you long enough to know that you really will be fine. Just take a deep breath, and remember you're fighting for someone you believe in. For someone you've loved your whole life."

"…not my whole life. I've only known him for a year."

"Whatever. So sue me!"

"You're the one that's been in-"

"All right, all right, that's enough," Nick pretended to snarl, huffing and puffing, inwardly jumping with glee over the turn in Apollo's tone. Sure, there were tears trickling down the younger one's face, but his spirits had been lifted. Why not keep the banter going?

"You heard me-no talking about me and the Chief Prosecutor! That's my business, okay?! Sheesh!"

"Sorry," was followed by a light, warm chuckle. Apollo definitely had more to add, but knowing where the conversation was headed, Phoenix snatched the baton. "Since you're in the mood to mock my relationship with Edgeworth, I'll assume you're ready to return to the bench," the veteran attorney pretended to sniff huffily.

"Now. Athena and I've got to investigate a murder, so-"

"You sound pretty calm about it."

"Yeah, well, it's nothing out of the ordinary," came the sheepish response. "You know how it goes. Paranormal activity, spirit mediums, oracles, crusades, that kind of thing. Nothing the Wright Anything Agency can't handle. Right, Athena?"

The spirited reply thundered into Apollo's ear. "That's right, Boss! And you'd better keep kicking ass over there, Apollo! Don't you dare think about giving up! You've got this! You're the champ, the man! You're Apollo Justice and you're FINE! If you think about giving up for even a SECOND, I'll never forgive you! And neither will HE!"

The call ended. "Still the same old Athena," the younger attorney chuckled to himself, a blend of relief, hope and warmth trickling down his cheeks. The tears refused to stop, but they felt much warmer than they were just a few minutes ago. Lighter. Much easier to bear.

Smiling, Apollo thought about the 'he' Athena was referring to. It wasn't Prosecutor Klavier Gavin, either. "Well then, you heard him, partner," he murmured, clutching a star charm resting inside his chest pocket.

"Time to get back to the bench. Should probably take a catnap, though. Won't be of much use to my client if I can't even stay awake, right?"


	15. Turnabout Suspense

_"Time to get back to the bench. Should probably take a catnap, though. Won't be of much use to my client if I can't even stay awake, right?"_

Falling asleep was much harder than it should've been, though.

Apollo wrestled with the idea falling asleep and the physically painful urge to continue the investigation, in one way or another. Even going off of very little fuel, resting when his client (yes, he had gone back to referring to Klavier as his client) needed an immediate rescue seemed inhumane. No different from a surgeon walking out of the operation room, with the patient right on the table, practically on top of the Grim Reaper's head.

The young attorney always found it difficult to shut his eyes whenever there were one too many thoughts plowing through his head, but with such a precious life on the line, was there really any time to rest?

The other members of the Klavier Rescue Squad (aptly named by Trucy) were in the Wright Anything Agency's office as well. In desperate need of rest, they all agreed to head back to the office for some shut-eye. Trucy, not at all ignoring the weight of their case but wanting to lift their spirits, turned the decision into a parade. Something fun and wonderful, filled with hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and chocolate chips because 'Daddy always makes hot chocolate for me right before bedtime, and it's the best'. They were out like lights on the floor around him, set up like protective barriers against the night's wicked possibilities.

'Daddy'. Trucy. Athena. It seemed like just a few short months ago, Apollo wanted nothing to do with the idea of a faux family. A family he seemed to just be cast in to, on a whim. With his eyes to the stars masked by the agency's ceiling, Apollo found it impossible to picture life without any of them. Even though Phoenix and Athena were a billion miles away, working on a murder mystery plaguing the Village of Kurain, he knew. Apollo knew they were with him in spirit. His latest phone call to Nick proved it. No matter how far apart they were, they'd always be a team.

Even Athena. After everything he put her through, she'd always smile at him. Would always pounce on him, encase him in a hug and give him a glowing 'mornin', Apollo'. If he even thought of bringing up a particular trial, he found himself running fifty laps around the office. 'Bring it up again and I'll add twenty more, buster!'

Apollo winced against a savage burning sensation in his eyes. Finding it was no fun to think of Phoenix Wright, he moved on to Trucy. The Child of Magic. The young woman with a smile brighter than the cosmos. Sure, the other two members of the Rescue Squad were nothing short of invaluable, but without the young woman he had come to love like a sister?

 _I'd be lost without her._

"Polly?"

"What is it?" Apollo asked that very young woman with a sigh. She must've read his mind. _Well, she's got a grab bag of magic tricks. Maybe she knows how to read people's minds too._

Trucy's voice was small and sad. She wasn't facing him, her eyes also directed at the masked heavens, but Apollo knew. Apollo knew her face was alive with concern. "Can't go to sleep?"

The attorney couldn't suppress a warm chuckle. "I'll be fine, Trucy. You'd better get some more sleep. You managed to fall asleep with Wocky's snoring and should've stayed asleep. Now you're going to have to start all over again."

She was adamant, indignant, heartbroken. "Can't. Can't go to sleep, knowing Klavier's locked up. Knowing how sad you are. I just wanna get back out there and get all of this over with."

"Yeah, no argument there." Apollo said after a small sigh. He wanted to brush off her concern, not at all interested in making her worry. Trucy had enough on her shoulders, with her father in a completely different galaxy and a very close friend being behind bars. What use did she have for his demons? But honesty was the best policy. "I'm practically holding myself down here. The only reason I haven't gone back to the investigation is because I know I'll be completely useless without rest. I swore I'd never be useless to anyone I care about ever again, so here I am, trying to catch some z's."

Trucy winced as invisible knives stabbed her. Once again, Apollo brought up a certain star angel and the word 'failure' in the same sentence. Pressing beyond her brother's open wounds, but determined to return to them at another time, she moved their conversation in another direction. "Who do you think we'll be up against in the trial?" she murmured, treading on delicate, sacred ground.

They grimaced at the same time, not at all interested in going up against someone entirely new. Fighting the forces of darkness alongside Prosecutor Gavin spoiled them, and Athena's Blackquill was out of the office, training. But the young attorney recovered in the blink of an eye, spirit flaring like a meteor.

"We'll find out soon enough. I can safely assume it'll be someone ready and raring to shut our client down, working on the band's behalf."

Horror struck Trucy's voice. Apollo had just unearthed the unholiest of dark secrets. "You mean-"

"Right. I'm sticking with this being pre-meditated. A set-up. With the band being so against our client, it's not something out of the ordinary. Whatever prosecutor has been chosen to fight on the band's behalf, you can best believe they're ready and willing to do whatever it takes to end this case in their favor."

A ringing phone cut through the rest of their thoughts. Apollo and Trucy sat up simultaneously and exchanged frantic glances, recognizing the ringtone immediately. The sounds of whistled birdsong were coming from none other than Detective Atticus' cell phone. Before either of them could make another move, the detective himself awakened, sat up, took a moment to shake off sleep and answered the call. With urgency immediately escalating, judging by the increasingly frantic tone of their new friend's voice, Apollo and Trucy found themselves gripping each other's hand. Luckily, the phone call ended a minute later.

Nothing else about the situation had the word 'lucky' on it, though.

Apollo wasted not even a second. "What is it, Detective? What's going on? Is Klavier all right?"

Trucy, clutching her brother's arm, went next. "What happened? Please don't tell us something else has gone wrong!"

Atticus was as white as the moon, face wreathed in horror. "I'm afraid so, ladybug," he replied, his voice sad, frantic, fragile. Every millisecond spent waiting for information felt like an eternity. Apollo's mouth went paper dry, Trucy's heartbeat thundered in her ears-

Detective Strideo Atticus took a deep breath before continuing. "We've got a pretty big problem on our hands, cadets. Folks down at the station just called me."

Apollo wasn't loud enough to wake up Wocky, but loud enough to be heard by the angels. "About what?"

"Y'see…ah…about our victim….there seems…to be a pretty interesting party revolving around him, because…Mr Cantanta isn't…well, dead."

Apollo's voice became shrill. Wrathful. Anger not at all directed at the whistling detective, but at the case spinning out of control. "Where are we going with this, Detective?"

"Grasshopper, Mr Cantanta just walked into the station. He's alive."

Trucy's mind became a scattered deck of cards. "But then, the victim, how did he-"

"Are we absolutely sure it's him? Alto Cantanta?"

Strideo nodded, eyes on the floor, not out of fear towards Apollo but in desperate need of untangling the case. "Absi-tively-poso-lutely. My folks down at the station tell no lies. Mr Cantanta's identification has been signed, sealed and delivered."

The young magician's voice was shrill. "But then-I don't understand! How did-why was the victim identified as Alto Cantanta when he's still alive? Does he have a twin brother?"

"No siblings. No sisters, no brothers-he's all there is, Cricket."

Hands clamped against the sides of his head, Apollo shut his eyes. "We haven't seen the autopsy report yet, but up until now, the victim was identified as Alto, Alto Cantanta. Now he's not Alto Cantanta because apparently, Alto's still alive. So this was set up to make it look like our client killed Alto but in truth, he killed someone else? Is there even a victim at all or have I been right this whole time? Has this been nothing but a nightmare?"

Strideo frowned at Apollo, his face and words gentle. "Sorry, sweet pea. It's a nightmare, but you're wide awake. And I'm not even done. The real victim…well…let's just say that the stakes have soared skyhigh. The ice is much thinner than it was a few hours ago."

After letting out a loud, long groan of frustration, Apollo shook Wocky into the present. "Sorry, but break time's over," he told his friend as gently as he could, every inch of him quivering, rattled with anger. Hands about Wocky's shoulders, Apollo looked into his sleepy teammate's eyes with eyes made of steel.

"Wocky, we're going down to the station. We're all going down to the station."

Fists pumped, armed with iron-clad determination and ready to fight, Trucy took the baton. "Right. We have to get to Mr Cantanta while he's still there! Maybe he'll help us!"

"Wait a minute-huh?! Cantanta?! I thought that guy was th' stiff!"

Apollo Justice, despite the feverish ferocity of the situation, couldn't suppress a warm smile. "Key word Wocky: was. I'll fill you in on the way."


	16. Omens at the Turnabout

"Of course I'm alive! I'm standing right here, am I not?! What kind of madness is this?! I leave the country for a few minutes, a FEW, and this is what happens?! Someone makes a mockery of my career by KILLING me off?!"

It was two in the morning. Bases were loaded and the crowd was going wild. They were inside Detective Atticus' private office, barely able to tear the former victim away from the roaring crowds. News reporters, police officers-it seemed as if the entire city-no, the entire world-had crammed itself into the police station. Loud enough to tear apart the very fabric of the universe. And in a little corner of the universe stood Apollo and his team. All with hearts racing, pulses throbbing, bodies longing for rest but minds aching for answers.

Alto Cantanta, the one and only, stood before them. Identified just as thoroughly as Detective Strideo Atticus said he was. The band's young guitarist was on fire, and that morning his fire had nothing to do with being on stage. According to the tale Apollo and his team caught, barreling through the police station, Alto was spotted at the Clock 'n Stop Airport. In checking back into his home country, he checked into a whole lot more than he expected. "How can I be dead?!" he roared to the little team inside the detective's office, amber orange eyes like raging flames.

"Who killed me?!"

"Apparently Klavier Gavin did," Apollo groaned, eyes shut, rubbing his bracelet. Thoughts plowed through his mind at a speed that put the speed of light to shame. Thankfully, the one and only Alto wasn't lying about anything. Ready to set the entire office on fire, the musician looked fit to burst into flames, and was completely in the dark about everything. Happy to at least have Alto's sincerity on their side, the attorney continued. "You and your band mates put on a show at the Kit Kat Lounge," Apollo continued, pacing the floor, Trucy's, Wocky's and Atticus' eyes locked on him.

"You were scheduled to put on a show, anyway. A night time concert to celebrate the grand opening of the Kit Kat Lounge. My client, Prosecutor Klavier Gavin, was invited to the celebration and was scheduled to play with your band."

All eyes flew over to Alto, the case transforming into an increasingly tense tennis match. Wocky, with Trucy gripping his arm, took the baton and ran with it. "You guys hit the stage, they found you down fer the count and our guy's takin' the rap for it! But Old Man Jenkins over here just told us it wasn't you that got iced-it was some other dude, some guy named Neo Soprano!"

Apollo, eyes still shut against the gentle yet brutally harsh light inside the detective's office, worked on Wocky's words. On their way over to the station, Atticus opened up the box of revelations he had been given in one phone call.

Funny, how much life could change in the blink of an eye.

Pushing thoughts of a certain client out of his mind, despite an excruciating urge to rip the band members' throats out with his bare hands, Apollo pressed on. "Mr Cantanta, in case you haven't figured this out already," the attorney went on, his voice darker, colder than the coldest side of the moon. Fury not at all directed towards Alto, but towards the direction the case seemed to be headed in. Which was absolutely not on a map. It was in an undecipherable direction, a path that seemed to be leading them straight into another dimension, where absolutely nothing made sense.

"I am Klavier Gavin's defense attorney. Along with the greatest assistants any attorney could ask for, I will be the one defending him in court. If you don't mind, could you please shed some light on this? I shouldn't be saying this but I'm just as confused as you are. Only one thing is certain: my client is innocent. Someone set this up. Someone obviously went through great pains to set this up. And it needs to end. Now. With your help, I'm hoping to make the end come quickly."

Anger had faded from Alto's eyes, replaced with the blazing light of curiosity. Atticus' office was silent for a second (or was it an eternity?), but then the guitarist spoke, not just to the small team but to himself. "I don't believe this, dealing with this my first night back," he muttered. "Are we talking about the Celebration of Music? THE Celebration of Music?" he asked, facing Apollo, and it was at that very moment Trucy gave a small sigh of relief.

The case had turned into an avalanche, but at least Mr Cantanta seemed to be willing to help.

Strideo blew on his whistle, signaling his snatch of the baton from Apollo. All eyes turned to him and were locked on him as he answered Alto's question. "The one and the same, kid," he replied, soft yet tense. "A lot of big names in the music industry came together, and we're supposed to put on some big shindig to celebrate the lounge opening."

Alto, chin in the palm of his head, eyes on the desk before him, dove deep into thought. "Right," he said, speaking as if he had somehow been transported into a dream, all anger gone. Apollo exchanged a frantic glance with Trucy before returning his eyes to the Twilight Notes' guitarist, both of their minds and hearts racing-

"And the celebration was supposed to go down last night. The Night of the Twilight Goddess."

Three radars went off all at once, and were loud enough to break the sound barrier. "The Night of the Twilight Goddess?" Apollo, Trucy, Wocky and Atticus asked all at once, voices shrill, eyes wide. Alto held up a finger, silently asking them for a moment to do something, took off his knapsack and started searching for something inside of it. In no more than thirty seconds, he pulled out a flier-a flier with the faces of his band. "Tonight was our night to honor the Twilight Goddess of Music," he explained, his voice low, tense, as if he were opening the most ancient of Pandora's Boxes.

"The stars have been waiting for this night. For our time to shine. I couldn't make it because I was spending time with a sick fan in the hospital, but my mates promised to put on a show the Goddess would never forget."

"Pretty poems, pretty boy, but none of this is tellin' us why everyone was saying it was YOU that ended up on stage, cold as ice!"

"I was getting there," a ruffled Alto snarled, dusting off his dark amethyst coat. "Now we're all Children of the Twilight Goddess. Linked to her magic. We whip up some pretty slammin' jams, and we do so under the light of her moon. Some even call us Oracles of Music. We're only supposed to use our magic for music, but I guess tonight someone thought it would be funny to cook up a sacrifice."

The radars of the Klavier Rescue Squad became even louder. "Cook up a sacrifice?" Apollo asked breathlessly, echoing the thoughts of his teammates. No point in questioning the truth behind Alto's words. He had been through enough cases to realize anything was possible, even if it sounded completely and utterly insane. If The Twilight Notes were Oracles of Music, they were Oracles of Music.

Alto nodded gravely, in response to Apollo's question. "Right. I guess to appease the Goddess. We agreed to pay tribute to her tonight, with our best performances yet, but I guess that didn't stick too well with him."

 _Him._

Apollo's fists were like hammers slamming against Atticus' desk. "Him. You said 'him'. Him WHO?"

"Dusk. Dusk Bridges, our brave and noble drummer," Alto snorted with folded arms, not at all suppressing scorn. "Before I left, he wouldn't shut up about 'doin' it up big'. 'Going above and beyond the call of duty for Her'. Even showed me a bottle of black magic he bought from th' market, just for the occasion. Told him to stay away from it, as our Oracle Goddess isn't very fond of dark magic, but off he went anyway, never paying attention to anyone but himself."

Strideo held up the flier, pointing at the moon above the bands' heads. A moon with a stunningly familiar icon. "Excuse me, kids, but would our darling Princess Alto happen to be talking about a bottle with this beautiful inscription on the front of it?"

"The one and the same, kid," the guitarist nodded, mirroring Atticus' earlier words. "But it's an inscription of a different color. The one you see before is of blue from the moon. The one on-"

"-this bottle?" Apollo cut in, taking the vial of the Elysium drug out of his chest pocket and setting it on the table. Alto's eyes widened in a clear show of shock.

"Yeah! The one on that bottle is black, clearly meant for magic of the dark arts! How did you get it?"

"Someone planted it on Klavier," Trucy replied instantly, heartbroken but firm, unwavering. Alto turned to her with a frown that set everyone's hearts on fire, in all the worst ways.

"Then we've got a bit of a problem. I don't know why they dragged me or Soprano into this, but looks like one of my band mates really wanted to do the show up big-by making your friend the sacrifice."


	17. Pursuit of the Truth

" _I don't know why they dragged me or Soprano into this, but looks like one of my band mates really wanted to do the show up big-by making your friend the sacrifice."_

* * *

"That's right! I went to the Twilight Children's Market, and I took Blondie with me! Got a problem with that?"

Apollo Justice had become a tea kettle, bristling, ready to burst. A thousand thoughts stormed through a mind in desperate need of rest, none of them registering, none of them coherent. After Alto Cantanta's revelations, he and his team bolted out of Detective Strideo Atticus' office and into the heat of the station. Where the rest of the world gathered to create a boiling cauldron of fury, voices, anticipation.

Before the Klavier Rescue Squad, and Alto Cantanta, stood the Twilight Notes' drummer-Dusk Bridges. He himself was a raging ball of fire, swept up into the early morning vortex of investigations and revelations. Apollo's eyes were burning through his soul like flames straight from the underworld, daring him to speak anything that didn't register as truth. Fortunately for Mr Bridges, Apollo's bracelet wasn't registering anything that could be registered as a lie. "Blondie wanted to go with me," the chubby musician shot at the team defiantly, eyes challenging mostly Apollo and Alto. In response to Apollo looking as if he were ready to rip his eyes out, with his bare hands, Dusk spoke quicker.

"Wouldn't shut up about it after I let him on it! Said nothing would stop him from coming with me! Blondie went because Blondie wanted to go!"

Trucy, hands clasped in prayer formation, face a portrait of panic, took the baton next. "What exactly is the Twilight Children's Market?"

Alto took the stand, eyes flashing like a tiger prowling through the night. "It's where two forms of Moon Magic are sold: Dark Moon Magic and Pure Blue Moon Magic. All Children of the Twilight Goddess know how each form of magic works, and what purposes they fulfill. So, in preparation of the Twilight Goddess' arrival, the Market is built to help us strengthen ourselves. To help us strengthen our Moon Magic. We visit the Market and buy only what we need to become stronger, for the sake of the Goddess."

Wocky rose a hand. "This magic you keep yappin' about, can just any ol' Joe use it? I mean, what business did pretty boy Gavin have using it? He ain't one of these moon kids you cats keep squabbling about, is he?"

Alto's response was instant, and surprisingly radiant with awe. Amber eyes glistened with amusement as he spoke, matching the bright sheen of his amber orange hair. "Brilliant question. Moon Magic was meant only for us Chosen Children, but if one is selected by a Child, all he or she has to do is undergo a ceremony in order to use any type of magic."

"Even the dark magic?"

"Even the dark magic," Alto nodded at Trucy. He dusted himself off before continuing, aware of all eyes being on him, aware of Apollo being ready to shred the very fibers of the universe. The faster answers were delivered, the better. "Doesn't matter which type of magic a Moon Child chooses to use. After going through the initiation ritual with an Oracle, sky's the limit."

Apollo, eyes locked on the purple-haired Dusk, spoke with eyes of the coldest steel. "And you knew that. You knew the consequences of him choosing dark magic, did you not? Are you not one of these Moon Children?"

Dusk held his hands up in clear objection. "Hey. Does our birthright come with warning labels, saying 'the side effects of overdosing on Dark Moon Magic are murder'? Lemme show ya somethin', rockin' robin, before ya boil me alive."

All eyes immediately landed on Dusk as he sought something, an item resting inside one of his pockets. "See this?" the drummer asked, not only Apollo but to the rest of the team. "It's what I bought from the Market."

The light of realization struck Alto in a heartbeat. "Caelum."

"Damn right, bro," Dusk nodded, planting the vial of blue liquid in the palm of Apollo's hand. "Now tell me, sweet cheeks, what do ya see?"

Apollo found what he was meant to discover in an instant. "The Chosen Light that sleeps within will bring you peace," he recited, reading the vial's side label. He then removed the bottom of Elysium from his chest pocket and read its side label: "The Chosen Light that sleeps within will bring you peace, only if you choose to battle the darkness within. Trust in the light that resides within you, for that is the only way to unlock the darkness within."

"Don't tell me ya picked murder off of that," Dusk bristled, hands balled into indignant fists, ready for battle. "Our Moon Magic, whether it's dark or pure, isn't used for deep-sixin' people. It ain't like that. Sure Blondie's gotta be the biggest diva on the planet, but I ain't interested in settin' up anybody to flop. Definitely ain't interested in settin' 'em up for murder. He was nice enough t' me anyways, and Our Lady ain't about murder. There are some things ya just don't do-bothering Her is one of them. So you c'n stop starin' at me like ya wanna kill me, Robin," he demanded, the final comment targeted at Apollo.

Trucy lit up like a Christmas tree. "That's it, then! Klavier must've gave someone-I mean, someone must've given Klavier something that was too powerful, or some other kind of magic, or something!"

"What other kind of magic is there?" Strideo asked, arms folded. "Sorry, kinda new to astrology. But if this Moon Magic of yours is only used for good, what else could our client have taken?"

Alto and Dusk frowned, exchanged a frown, then returned their attention to the team. "Not a clue," they said simultaneously, with Dusk shaking his head. "All I can tell ya is that our Oracle was some kinda fluke," Dusk put in firmly, purple eyes ablaze with solemn fire. "She sold me the right stuff, but definitely slipped Blondie the wrong stuff. Last I checked, Elysium's only supposed t' be used for fighting yer nightmares. Not killin' people."

"That's right," the band's guitarist murmured, counting facts on his fingers. "He saw Soprano and thought Soprano was me! Whatever your Oracle gave him, it warped his vision so much he saw me! I'm still really creeped out by him seeing me, but-"

"We're making great progress but something's still not matching up," Trucy cut in, not at all trying to dismiss Alto but just caught up in the early morning testimonies. "Klavier said he wasn't anywhere near the scene of the crime when it happened! He was on the stage with you guys!"

"And he was," Alto nodded, orange eyes on the ground, mind submerged in reflection. "Dusk called me twenty minutes before the concert was about to begin, just to check in with me. Told me-"

"Blondie's been annoying the living crap outta us for the last hour," Dusk threw in, taking the baton from his partner. "It was him. Wasn't nobody else but him. Unless he's got a twin brother runnin' around, paradin' as the great Klavier Gavin, the one and only was standin' right there with us the whole damn time. Never left t' do nothin' at any point in time."

"Is there any type of magic that can give you the power to teleport?"

Trucy turned to Apollo, soul glowing with love. Her big baby brother had been painfully quiet for a short while, but had jumped back into the fray and was getting more excited by the second. Alto and Dusk exchanged a pensive look, then frowned at the attorney. "Nope," they replied simultaneously, shaking their heads. Alto spoke next.

"Their Oracle worked some pretty dark magic on Gavin but nothing in any spellbook can make anyone teleport."

Barely able to suppress the urge to laugh, Apollo beamed at the two Twilights. "Great," he sighed, throwing his head and shoulders back. "Not a card the prosecution can use, then."

"We aren't out of the woods yet, kids," the detective reminded them, after giving a small referee's blow to his whistle. "The lights. What about the lights bein' shut off? Our client ending up right next to the victim's body?"

"Simple," Alto replied. "The lights were turned off right before the performance for reflection. Sure, I wasn't there, but we do it before every one of our shows, to remind us we're bathing in the moonlight from Our High Lady. To reflect on the music within."

"Some cat musta used that time to set th' stage just so, then," Wocky nodded, eyes and voice glowing with excitement. "That's gotta be it! Some prick offed this Neo guy off-stage, then set everything up t' make pretty boy Gavin take the fall!"

"As much as I feel the need to run around the station, naked and laughing, there's still a few more points we need to hit," the attorney in their midst pointed out, earning giggles from Trucy and shock from Wocky. "We've got the Oracle and Neo to figure out. And the staff. The staff of the Kit Kat Lounge, one member in particular, kept mentioning how your band was at odds with our client. Was that true?"

Alto signaled Dusk to take the question. Dusk took it and shrugged, all the while frowning. "I mean, yeah, the guy pranced around th' place like a poodle, but come on."

"What about his band, the Gavineers?" Trucy asked, fists pumped, heart racing. "Klavier told me a few of your band members knew his band!"

"They did. Of course we knew about those guys. The music business is like a gladiator's arena. But if you're pointin' at us blamin' him for what went down with the band, you're barking up the wrong tree, sister. I'm actually glad that creep Crescend's out the picture. What a lame-o that shmuck was. Can't tell ya which of the two was worse-Blondie or Crescend."

"Atticus," the attorney said, turning to the detective. "Our client's fingerprints were found on the murder weapon. The knife, right?"

"Right, Grasshopper. And the victim's blood was also found on our client's body, but-"

Trucy squealed as if it were Christmas morning, earning a look of surprise from Apollo. "Whoever set up the stage could have made it so Klavier was forced to put his fingerprints all over the murder weapon! And how easy is it to wipe someone's blood on you? Ooo, Polly, this is fun!"

"Yeah, talking about blood and death and murder is always a recipe for fun," the attorney groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. Spirit overflowing with hope. He looked at the faces of all that stood before him, not at all suppressing the hope boiling within him. "It's just as the detective said," he warned them gently. "We're not out of the woods yet. We've still got to examine the surveillance footage, and figure out what exactly is inside our client's vial. Wocky?"

"Whaddya want?"

Apollo pressed the two bottles of Moon Magic into his friend's hand. "Would you mind having these examined for me? I know Mr Bridge's vial checks out, but we need to be thorough. No stone can be left unturned. Please, please take them to an old friend of mine."

"You mean Ema?"

"I mean exactly Ema," Apollo nodded at the beaming young magician. "Trucy, go with him. Make sure he stays out of trouble for me."

"Will do, big baby brother! You can count on me-"

"To always hit the ground with speed and ferocity, I know," he said, with a smile made of the warmest moonlight. Dusk spoke next, face ablaze with alarm.

"They'd better take me. Whatever they find out, neither of them are gonna know what's inside these bottles without one o' us Moon Children."

"Right, good point," Apollo said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Especially with our good friend Ema being a scientist. We'll need both sides of the coin in figuring out what's inside those vials. Thanks Mr Bridges." He then turned to Atticus. "Detective-"

"The surveillance footage. Right. Should be out of the hands of the force by now. You comin' with me, kid?"

"Yes, I am," Trucy's brother replied with a firm nod. Aware of the disappointment swelling inside the magician's heart, Apollo turned to her with a comforting smile.

"I'll visit him soon. Don't worry. I'll visit my client after we've taken a look at the surveillance footage and paid a visit to his darling Oracle. I'd go to him now if I wasn't so anxious for answers. But I'll go to him soon. I'm not afraid of seeing him anymore, especially with us having taking so many steps closer to the truth."

"Why don't you leave that to me?"

All eyes fell on Alto Cantanta. Alto stepped back indignantly, offended by how his decision surprised them.

"What? Someone has to apologize on behalf of the Twilights, and on behalf of our Most High Lady. I would like to know what's up with his wild and crazy imagination, but I'll ask about his weird fantasies another time. And once I'm done with Gavin, I'd be more than happy to escort you to the Market. Won't be too hard to find the Oracle our pals went to, as Dusk told me all about her."


	18. Author's Court Record Entry 2

_Author's Court Record Entry, July 8, 2016_

Courtney here once again. Thank you very much for reading my second Ace Attorney adventure, 'The Heart of a Turnabout'. Your support of this adventure means more than you'll ever know.

I've decided to interject author's notes like this so they won't break the flow of the chapters. So here's the low-down on some stuff you're probably wondering about, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. Like the case. The details of the case, to be precise. I know there's probably some disjointed facts, some dots that need to be connected. I'm going to continue giving this story 550%, to create an amazing experience and the most difficult case of Apollo's career, hoping that the dots I do connect join together to create such an experience. While I know no Ace Attorney case can ever be found in a textbook, I'm hoping to create a complex case with tense turnabouts. I hope you're able to enjoy the journey.

While a part of me wishes this story could focus entirely on Apollo rescuing Klavier with his team, I definitely could not and will never be able to write Phoenix and Athena out of existence. Originally, Apollo was solving the case entirely on his own, collecting evidence and receiving absolutely no help from anyone per his request. The others, Trucy included, were on the side respecting his request. I wanted this adventure to be a part of Apollo learning how to open up to others, to trust them and work alongside them in pursuit of the truth. Especially after a certain trial concerning Athena.

Phoenix and Athena's story will eventually join with Apollo's. I'm thinking of having Maya join them. I hope it doesn't seem like I'm ignoring them too much. I get caught up in Apollo's side of things, and working on the case!

As a reminder: Detective Atticus' description was intentionally left vague, so you could determine what he looks like. I imagine him as an older gentlemen sounding like Sully from the Uncharted series, but you're free to see him as you choose. I do have news on his first name, though: Strideo is a Latin word for 'whistle'! Finally, huh? His last name was actually inspired by the late, great Gregory Edgeworth, who was rumored to be inspired by the great Atticus Finch. I saw the detective as a father figure, so thought the last name Atticus was a perfect fit.

It probably seems like I'm putting off Apollo meeting with Klavier again. I am because Apollo's putting it off. Apollo will see his long-time crush soon, I promise!

That's about it, for now, other than me telling you it's a ton of fun, writing this story to the Ace Attorney soundtracks. The orchestrated soundtracks, the Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney soundtrack, and the Dai Gyakuten Saiban soundtrack all work the best!

Thank you for joining me on this great turnabout. I hope you stay for the rest of the trial!

Courtney


	19. Start Dash

_"What? Someone has to apologize on behalf of the Twilights, and on behalf of our Most High Lady. I would like to know what's up with his wild and crazy imagination, but I'll ask about his weird fantasies another time. And once I'm done with Gavin, I'd be more than happy to escort you to the Market. Won't be too hard to find the Oracle our pals went to, as Dusk told me all about her."_

* * *

Athena's eyes were as wide as the moon, raging with horror. "Crusade? We've got assassins running around on some crusade against defense attorneys?"

The air within Lady Maya's sacred sanctuary was as tense as the air in the courtroom, cramming all of its inhabitants inside a very tight box. Despite being filled with the softest of healing scents, the air was almost impossible to breathe and all bases were loaded-it was time to fight, and time to fight back hard. The forces all gladiators had to fight against were still unknown, even with an open box of revelations. Maya, Athena, Phoenix and Maya's tiny assistant were at the edge of the universe, not at all daring to breathe, wondering-

"What moron started the mass murder of defense attorneys?"

Phoenix, holding the hand of a barely conscious defense attorney, tried to wrap his mind around his dear friend's question. Just moments ago, Maya's tiny new wing man alerted her to the presence of a fallen young man, one that happened to bear the sacred badge of his creed. Without being spotted by the apparent enemies of his creed, the four of them managed to rush the gravely wounded attorney back into the Lady's sanctuary. Barely able to stay awake, but determined to share all that he knew, the young man warned them of a raging wildfire against those that wore a certain badge. "The Oracle wills it," he revealed, his frail words barely reaching all of his rescuers. The gentle, ethereal scents Maya had lit inside of her sanctuary were working their magic, ridding him of the pain from his wounds-that was a strong piece of fortune, at least. But danger lurked right outside her door.

"It is her will. Her way. She…she wants…to erase those that doubt her. Challenge her. If she says it must be so, it must be so."

Dabbing a medicine pack against the bedridden attorney's forehead, Phoenix spoke to him softly. "Is it safe to assume she claims to rule the land, with some divine birthright?"

"I don't think that's a bad assumption, Nick," a frowning Maya alerted him, checking on the nearby medicinal candles. Whatever she could do to make the victim comfortable, she'd do it-and would do it in a heartbeat. "I think I've got it figured out. Attorneys attacked me because they mistook me for one of her lackeys or something. You know how it is with my family? It's got to be the same way with this Oracle. She feels her power can't be challenged-so what does she want to do? Take out everyone that stands in her way. Those standing against her feel they have to do the same."

"But where did she come from?" an increasingly anxious Athena groaned, clutching the sides of her head. "She just popped up out of nowhere and made it okay for people to commit genocide?"

Their patient whimpered, holding a hand against the side of his throbbing head. "She was sent by the God," he groaned, eyes shut against a fresh wave of pain. Phoenix and Maya's assistant rushed to dab more medicinal herbs against his forehead, each one being gentle, compassionate.

"The God of Night. Said she was sent on a mission to eliminate those that follow an unholy creed."

Phoenix turned to Maya, his face solemn. "Ever heard of this Night God?"

The young Spirit Medium frowned, chin resting in the palm of her hand, head tilted in a familiar form. "Sorry, no go there. Sounds like someone I would've heard about as a kid. And I know every one of our village's stories by heart. Auntie made sure I learned all of them, so I'd 'carry the clan's valuable lessons with me'."

Their patient gave unfolding revelations another go, still bearing more to share. "The God gives her messages, tells her to fight against the plague rising against all of mankind," he explained, grimacing but unwilling to fall silent. Athena, noticing the young brunette's drive to keep on going, patted him on the back with a warm smile. His cheeks turned rose red as a result, which won him a set of warm giggles.

"Is this 'God' of hers a real person?"

"I…I don't know," came the frail answer. "The Oracle certainly speaks as if he were a real person. And it's from him she receives orders to have defense attorneys killed. Her right-hand man is the strongest of her assassins, not at all willing to let us attorneys or their clients off the hook."

"Great, you answered the question I was just about to ask you," Phoenix told the young brunette as gently as he could, despite the tension rising within him. The veteran attorney then turned to Maya and Athena. Maya's little assistant was working on tea, wanting to do whatever he could to refresh them. Especially after barely evading the jaws of persecution. Rescuing attorneys? Something that definitely wasn't celebrated in his neck of the woods. "I think we've got a major problem on our hands, kids," Phoenix told the young women.

"Not only do we need to figure out who or what this God of the Night is, but the Oracle's right hand man is going after Apollo."

"Right-he's going to save some poor soul from the dark pit of damnation," the young Cykes recited, remembering conversations she had caught earlier. "So he's either planning on 'saving' Apollo, or-"

Phoenix's face turned as white as the moon. "Klavier. Either way, they're in grave danger."

"I've got an idea," the Lady Fey threw in, always the one excited about a brand-new challenge. "Little bro Bo and I will stay here with our new friend. You two should take a look around the village. Maybe find out a little more about this 'God' and whatever our dear, sweet friend the Oracle is up to."

"Gee, Maya, you want us to leave you here? With someone that has a bulls-eye on his back?"

"Nick, you can't be everywhere at once," a pouting Spirit Medium retaliated. "And I'm not teeny tiny Maya any more. I can take care of myself, and pretty well, I might add. Besides, you're worried about Apollo. I'm worried about Apollo. I'm even more worried about Klavier. Hurry up and find some answers, or I'll never forgive you! Just make sure to be ultra-careful out there! Don't go flashing your attorney's badge at everyone you meet, like you used to!"

Athena nudged her mentor in the ribs. "I think I'm in love with her."


	20. Search

Cloaked in robes made of twilight and amethyst, two figures were shadows in the light of Kurain Village. With their mission hidden from the world's eyes, they crept away from a sanctuary and rushed toward ancient secrets, hearts racing in anticipation of afternoon discoveries. Unfortunately, the second figure was a little too slow for the first shadow's comfort. In a whirlwind of frustration, the first shadow turned to her partner.

"C'mon, Boss, the God of Night isn't going to wait forever!"

"He isn't waiting for us at all," Phoenix Wright groaned, peering at the anxious young woman in front of him. A sigh of defeat escaped him, not over the case at hand, but over the decision to disguise themselves as Spirit Mediums. Male Spirit Mediums were as common as meteors landing on Earth, so the veteran attorney felt as if he stuck out like a swollen thumb. While remaining hidden wasn't at all a bother, considering how defense attorneys were being executed simply for existing, the disguises came off as a bit much. Not at all willing to hide his discomfort, Athena's partner voiced more of his thoughts.

"If we had just taken off our badges, I think we would've been all right! There really was no need to borrow clothes from Maya!"

Athena wagged a finger at him, beaming at him with a smile made of sun-kissed triumph. "In our line of work, it's always best to be thorough," she sang, while Widget lit up with blue merriment. "We can't afford to take any risks. Not while we're trying to help Lady Maya, and not while we're trying to help our lil' amigo Apollo. Not to mention the deep, murky waters our Klavier is in. Now vamoose, partner! Time to get this show on the road!"

Without letting Phoenix get in another word of protest, Athena grabbed her partner's arm. Her sights were set on the east, where the High Oracle's was apparently stationed, according their wounded friend-who had been left in Maya's and little bro Bo's care. Shaking off the discomfort that came with being a male Spirit Medium, Phoenix set his mind on the ones left behind. Trucy, who had her hands full taking care of Apollo while trying to rescue Klavier. His old friend Klavier, the one responsible for his downfall but forgiven a million times over, seen only as a dear friend. Never an enemy. And then there was-

Apollo. Still wounded, still grieving, still lost Apollo.

The veteran attorney, cloaked in the sacred robes of a Spirit Medium, stiffened. He followed Athena with eyes and mind set on their goal-to find out more about the God of Night, the one apparently responsible for beginning the crusade against defense attorneys. _There might be a link too, a link between this God and Apollo's opponent. The more we can find out, the better. We might be able to end this so-called crusade too, while we're at this._

The afternoon sun was an ember, lighting their path on the search for answers. Phoenix earned a few stares of discomfort, but nothing more. Men weren't common sights around Kurain Village, but to see his mere presence wasn't causing mass calamity gave him more than enough relief. _I'm glad I'm not holding anything up. Sure is quiet around here, though. Quieter than usual. It's as if we're wandering through a ghost town._

 _We can do this. We've got to do this. For the sake of the village. For Maya. For the kids back home. This, whatever this is, has to end and it has to end now._

"Excuse me."

The search for the Oracle's chamber came to an immediate halt, due to the gentle intrusion of a new voice. A young Spirit Medium, stood before them, green eyes graced with the softest concern, hand over her heart. "I've never seen the two of you before," she said, her voice like the afternoon breeze kissing the earth. Athena and Phoenix exchanged pensive glances, wondering where the winds of fate were carrying them. At least they hadn't been spotted-other than Maya and her friend Bo, not a single soul knew of their badges.

"I'm sorry, but are you two new? If you're lost, I can get you to where you're going. My name's Celia, by the way."

"Thena," the younger attorney greeted her, shaking the other young woman's hand. In a flash she hid a beaming, singing Widget under her shirt, then indicated her partner with a hand. "That there is Nicky," she continued, immediately earning a glance of disgust from her mentor. "You're right-we are the new kids on the block. I've just started training under the Oracle, and he's my sidekick."

Phoenix muttered words that were sharp and quick. "You've been dying to call me your sidekick, haven't you? And Nicky? Seriously?"

"We'd love it if you could take us to see her," Athena chirped, after giving her other half a violent punch in the stomach. Celia eyed Phoenix, her own eyes alive with concern, but then giggled over realizing how close the two of them were. No real harm done, since Thena was Nicky's friend. "We've got some questions to ask her."

The young woman with blue locks tilted her head. "Oh? What about?"

Athena stiffened, feeling Widget's pulse against her chest. Suddenly, the other girl's warmth and cheer were dampened by the pursuit of answers. "Nothing special," Phoenix put in, taking the baton quickly, landing hands on his friend's shoulders with a sheepish grin. "Just, um, the best kinds of incense to burn while channeling. The best time to channel spirits. Little things. Thought we'd get answers on the little things like that. A refresher course."

Athena's face grew even darker, with Phoenix instantly realizing why. Pursuing answers in the presence of the Oracle-apparently not something that was highly recommended. With a finger against her lips, Celia spoke in hushed tones. "The Oracle's disciples don't channel spirits," she explained, walking closer towards them. In no more than a moment, there was only an inch of separation between the three of them.

"They channel memories. Memories of the dead. The Oracle channels spirits, though. She can channel spirits and memories of the dead-with one exception."

Phoenix and Athena exchanged another solemn glance, with Phoenix taking the baton. "Which is…?"

"The God of Night," Celia said, after giving them an intense 'sssssh'. "He isn't dead. He's everywhere and knows all."

Athena, clutching the place Widget sat, threw a grim look to her partner. _So. This God might be a living, breathing person._

"I do not wish to intrude on your path any longer," the blue-haired Spirit Medium told them, shaking her head, face wreathed in apologies. "Forgive me. I'm sorry. If you'd like, I can take you to the Oracle's chambers. She isn't in right now, but if you have the time, you're more than welcome to wait for her. I'm sure she'd be delighted to help you on your quest for knowledge!"

Minutes were like hours to the attorneys at her side. Knowing every step they took brought them closer to the answers they sought, Athena and Phoenix never dared to draw breath. Doing so would've disturbed the gentle fabric of the universe they walked upon. It was in silence their thoughts pulsed, each one raging, white-hot, causing their hearts to race at the speed of light. It was in no more than ten minutes they found themselves at the front of a chamber, one decorated in inscriptions much different from other chambers. And it was at the doorstep of knowledge their hearts throbbed, racing anxiously. "I will take my leave," their guide said with a bow.

"May the light of knowledge grace your paths, always. Be well."

The moment Celia turned her back was the moment they dove inside. Once inside, they were instantly greeted with the scents of cedar, lavender and sage. Candles were strewn about the sanctuary, each one sitting in a bed of glittering stones. "Now I know why Maya's new friend smells of lavender," Athena said breathlessly, eyes darting all over the candle-kissed sanctuary. "Not that I've got anything against the smell. I love it. It's just that he obviously spends a ton of time in here."

Phoenix's face was as dark as the night. "Maybe we'll find out why. Her new friend might be friends with this God of Night."

As Athena took Widget out of hiding, Phoenix paced around the chamber's entrance. "The candles, they've got some sort of strange inscription on them," he mused, not only to his young partner but to himself as well. "It's one I've seen before. I can't remember where, but it's familiar-not in a good way, though."

Not even a second passed before his heart swelled with concern, all for Athena. The young woman had fallen to her knees, clutching her ears. Widget was going off like a siren. "What's wrong, Thena?" he asked, breathless, facing an uprising of chaos with a racing heart. He set his hands about her shoulders, the most tender concern racing through his veins. Grimacing, Athena looked up at him and replied through gritted teeth.

"The voices. Way too many voices. Voices of the attorneys, and…two more. Two…two voices we know. Know very well."

Phoenix spoke quickly, frantically, eyes bearing into her soul. "Which ones?"

With Widget still ringing furiously, Athena fell silent for a moment, eyes shut against the onslaught of voices, pain, suffering. Loss. She slowly opened her eyes and replied, her word slow, steady, solemn.

"Apollo's and Klavier's."


	21. Joint Reasoning

_"I'll visit him soon. Don't worry. I'll visit my client after we've taken a look at the surveillance footage and paid a visit to his darling Oracle. I'd go to him now if I wasn't so anxious for answers. But I'll go to him soon. I'm not afraid of seeing him anymore, especially with us having taking so many steps closer to the truth."_

 _"Why don't you leave that to me?"_

 _All eyes fell on Alto Cantanta. Alto stepped back indignantly, offended by how his decision surprised them._

 _"What? Someone has to apologize on behalf of the Twilights, and on behalf of our Most High Lady. I would like to know what's up with his wild and crazy imagination, but I'll ask about his weird fantasies another time. And once I'm done with Gavin, I'd be more than happy to escort you to the Market. Won't be too hard to find the Oracle our pals went to, as Dusk told me all about her."_

* * *

"Something's wrong. None of this is making any sense."

Apollo knew he couldn't run on an empty tank forever. Without a bit of fuel in one's cauldron, one was bound to drop sooner rather than later. Especially when one was racing against time to save an incredibly precious life. But even through eyes yearning for even just a minute of sleep, he knew two and two weren't making four-they conspired to make twenty two. He could've spent the next thirty minutes staring at the footage, and the world still would've been a tangled ball of wire.

Detective Strideo Atticus's eyes were glued on the same riddle-the Kit Kat Lounge's surveillance footage. The flames in his engine had become embers, but with a lifetime of running on embers under his belt, remaining focused on the case was like reciting the alphabet. Unfortunately, untangling the surveillance footage wasn't anything like reciting the alphabet. More like trying to reach the moon in a cardboard box. "I see where you're goin', kid," the detective murmured, eyes and mind working to untangle an impossible riddle. The footage had been watched twice, but neither showing shed any light on an avalanche of darkness.

"The Twilight Notes told us our client was with them at the time of the murder, and the footage proves it. If we take it at face value, it also proves he's guilty, case closed."

Restarting the footage on the detention center's many monitors, Apollo watched every second of it like a hawk stalking its prey. "The Celebration of Music was supposed to start at 8:30 pm," the attorney recited, not only to the detective but to himself, to a judge and jury no one could see. "At 8:20 pm, our client and the band were gathered on the stage, making final preparations for the performance. At 8:25 pm, the lights went out."

"Red flag, kiddo," Atticus said, his tone softening in acknowledgement of Apollo's rising frustration. "At 8:20 pm, the footage also shows our client alone in the room with Mr Soprano."

"We still can't connect the dots because we're missing too many dots," the attorney snarled, pounding his fists on the control panels. "The lights not only went at in the main arena, they also went out where the victim and our client are shown to be! It's as if someone intentionally shut them off so the act could be committed in complete and total darkness, masking the culprit's identity!"

Atticus blew on his whistle gently. "Stop right there, Grasshopper. Before we dig any deeper into the rest of this equation, let's look at one gaping wound of a problem. Our client's shown to be right there in the backroom, with the victim. The way things are now, kid, we've got no cards in our deck."

"But in watching the footage prior to these events, we see our client making his way to the stage," the attorney pointed out, eyes still locked on the footage. Rewinding to earlier events, he shut his eyes, took a deep breath and dove into the murkiest waters he had ever encountered. "We don't encounter the problem of seeing our client in two different places until 8:20 pm. And we can't forget what Mr Bridges told us-Mr Gavin-"

Ah. Back to formalities. Not to mention Apollo's continuous refusal to visit his client.

"-had spent the last hour with the band. That solidifies everything we're able to see in the earlier footage. And closer examination of the footage reveals our client's decision to attend the performance, despite being under the weather."

It was as clear as day, the rising discomfort on Prosecutor Gavin's face. Atticus noted it, Apollo noted it, the whole world would note it. "If we turn up the volume, we can hear our client's wish to perform, despite his obvious condition," the attorney continued to testify, purposefully speaking over Prosecutor Gavin's dialogue in the footage. Coincidence? No, not likely, considering Apollo looked fit to blow up the entire universe, then rip apart the remnants with his bare hands.

"He very well may have been under Elysium's influence-or the faux Elysium's influence, I should say. At no point in time does our client convey any intention of taking a life."

"I take it you're not just going off the footage with this," the detective remarked soothingly, landing a hand on his friend's shoulder. Apollo, not at all facing him, eyes still glued to the footage, replied with a tone made of icy steel.

"Previous encounters with the client confirm his determination to attend the performance. So there's another way around this-the footage has somehow been modified. Changed to make it look as though our client was in the room with Mr Soprano at the time of the murder."

Atticus clapped, not out of agreement but in attempt to reel Apollo away from the edge. "Come back to me, kiddo. We still need to explain why and how our client ended up in the room with this Neo Soprano. You're saying the footage might have occurred at an earlier time? How do we explain our pal's fingerprints being on the murder weapon?"

"Simple," Trucy's brother nodded, still at the helm of the control panel, studying every nook and cranny. "Whoever set this up was intent on making sure no stone was left unturned, just as we are. The mastermind modified the time of the footage and made sure to rub our client's hands on the murder weapon. Our client being under the heavy influence of a drug made his or her job a thousand times easier."

None too comfortable with Apollo's repeated usage of the phrase 'our client', Atticus gave him a compassionate smile. "We've got to pinpoint the motive at some point in time," the detective informed him, patting him on the back gently. "The prosecution's definitely gonna throw one at us, and we've got to be able to counter it. Don't think the court will let us slide with 'the defendant just wanted to get on stage and sing his pretty heart out', button."

Apollo finally turned to face the detective, but then ran a hand over his face. "Detective?"

"What is it, Grasshopper?"

Hand still glued to his face, Apollo groaned out his thoughts. "Do you remember me asking Dusk and Alto about other forms of magic?"

"Yeah, how could I forget? They were as blank as my grandmother's face whenever I brought home my report card."

"Do you remember Alto mentioning one of the Twilights wanting to offer a sacrifice to their Goddess?"

The attorney suddenly felt fifty years older. "Once we visit this Market they're so fond of, we might be able to find out these other forms of magic," Apollo went on, melting into his chair-and not out of contentment. "If I had gotten this case even a year ago, I would've laughed myself right into a mental institution hours ago. But now…looking at the way everything's unfolding, I realize something. There's something much, much darker than their precious Twilight Moon magic, or whatever they refer to it as."

"Where are you goin' with this, kid?"

"Saying the surveillance footage was modified, and the fingerprints forced-all fine and well, but something's telling me to look deeper. We obviously can't ask Mr Soprano anything, with him being the victim of the case, but we're going to have to swim into much darker waters. Think back on the surveillance footage, Atticus. How many people did you see entering the backroom, prior to 8:25 pm? Or even 8:20 pm?"

"One, just Soprano."

"Yet, right at 8:20 pm, our client conveniently shows up and says 'voila, time to commit murder'? How many people did you see leaving the room after 8:25 pm?"

"None, muffin, the lights were out."

"Exactly. The only thing we're able to note in the backroom, after 8:25 pm, is the brilliantly loud music in the room. Music that strangely grows much louder as time progresses, and it's not a backdrop to create ambiance in the lounge because the rest of the lounge would be playing it as well. So unless this really is nothing but a nightmare, and Klavier has the ability to pop in and out of nowhere in my dreams, it's time to take a pretty cold swim in some pretty dark waters. And I think our best jumping off point is going to be the Oracle's."


	22. Rewriting the Turnabout!

_Rewriting the Turnabout, August 7th 2016:_

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen of the jury.

I've been contemplating ways to continue this story for quite a while now, seeing how a lot of the case details are all over the place, and how there's going to be at least ten chapters of the characters in court. I've been carrying this storyline deep in my heart for years, so I still love Apollo defending longtime crush Klavier Gavin from murder charges dearly, but I'm unsatisfied with how I'm writing the story out. Then-

Then I found the story 'Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth: End of an Era'. Written by PiercetheVeils and ajani's apprentice.

It was a miracle. I found the story that changed my life forever. And it certainly gave me the answer on how to continue The Heart of a Turnabout.

'End of an Era' by PiercetheVeils and ajani's apprentice is perhaps the BEST Ace Attorney fanfiction I've read-and I've read quite a few pieces. Starring Miles Edgeworth, it incorporates gameplay elements from the Ace Attorney series into a one-of-a-kind storyline perfectly. The characters are stunningly depicted. The storyline is gripping. The case details are simple yet engaging. I read it and thought to myself (cue Edgeworth voice) 'EUREKA!'. That's EXACTLY what I want 'The Heart of a Turnabout' to be like! So guess what?

I've decided to rewrite it.

With my life not going very well at the moment, I've decided to restart it in time for 'Spirit of Justice' month (September). I'll be leaving this version here, because I can't possibly erase twenty billion chapters. No matter how much they don't make sense.

I hope you'll join me and Apollo on a (rewritten) search for the truth, in the NEXT 'Heart of a Turnabout'!

-Courtney


End file.
